How Dirty Is Your Weed? A Joint Investigation Finds High Levels of Pesticides in Products
June 17, 2024 | Source: Los Angeles Times | by Ryan Fonseca
Weed is legal and subject to regulation in the Golden State. But as a joint investigation (it was right there) by The Times and cannabis industry newsletter WeedWeekfound, that doesn’t mean it’s safe, as California regulators are often failing to get contaminated cannabis products off shelves.
The Times and WeedWeek purchased dozens of cannabis products from retail stores, then tested them at private labs. Out of 42 products tested, 25 had concentrations of pesticides above either state-allowed levels or current federal standards for tobacco.
“The contaminants include chemicals tied to cancer, liver failure, thyroid disease and genetic and neurologic harm to users and unborn children,” Times reporter Paige St. John and WeedWeek editor Alex Halperin wrote in a subscriber exclusive. “Most of the pesticides found were in low concentrations that risk long-term harm by repeated use, though the extent of the health threat may not be known for years.”
However, the testing did show that vapes from five popular brands had levels of pesticides above federal risk thresholds for harm from a single exposure as set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
There are 66 pesticides California requires testing for, but it’s an outdated list, unchanged in roughly six years. There are many more not included on the state’s list that have been linked to liver cancer, reproductive disorders and more.