WeedWeek reposted this
🔊Yesterday, California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) announced that it had seized over $2.3 million in illegal cannabis and toxic pesticides that were used in the unlawful grow in the Coliseum neighborhood in Oakland, California. ⚠️Isoprocarb, an unregistered pesticide that is toxic if inhaled or swallowed, was identified in the seizure. “It is critical that any pesticide used on cannabis is registered and all laws and regulations are followed. Enforcing these laws protects people and the environment from potential risks and impacts associated with pesticide use,” according to California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation. 🪲Pesticides are an issue for both illicit and legally grown cannabis. Three months ago, a joint investigation by the Los Angeles Times and WeedWeek revealed dangerous pesticides in legal cannabis products sold across California’s licensed dispensaries. 📰The LA Times published that 25 out of the 42 cannabis products that were tested contained pesticide concentrations exceeding state and federal safety standards, with vapes containing the most “egregious amounts”. The pesticides included chemicals that "have been linked to cancer, liver failure, and neurological harm". ⚗️Additionally, many reliable sources say unregulated pesticides not permitted in the US are being smuggled in from China and are not being screened for in legal/regulated cannabis. They are so toxic that respirators and hazmat suits are recommended when handling. 🩸Kimberly Paul, an epidemiologist and neurology professor at UCLA, warns “repeated inhalation of pesticide residues through regular smoking or vaping is quite concerning as this is a relatively direct route of exposure into the bloodstream.” ⛔California isn’t the only state facing such issues. Just last week, Michigan’s legal cannabis market found a mechanical trimmer contaminated with Bifenthrin and Chlorfenapyr residues, both banned chemicals, leading to recalls by Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency. #cannabisregulation #cannabissafety #cannabismedicine #cannabistesting #pesticides #patientsafety #consumersafety #californiacannabis