Digipath’s Chief Science Officer Calls For Cannabis Testing Science Standardization

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NEVADA: Digipath, an independent cannabis testing laboratory and media firm, announced that its Chief Science Officer, Dr. Cindy Orser, has been invited to present on the science of cannabis at two upcoming events occurring in Nevada and California.

The first event will be at the Annual meeting of the California Association of Toxicologists entitled A House Full of Tox, being hosted by the Henderson Police Department’s and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s forensic laboratories, and will take place Monday, November 6 and Tuesday, November 7 at the Golden Nugget hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. From 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm on Tuesday, November 7, Dr. Orser will present on the current state of cannabis science in Nevada to enable California Toxicologists to get a snapshot of what’s to come in California with the role of a regulated cannabis industry.

The second speaking invitation came from the Genetic and Environmental Toxicology Association (GETA) of Northern Californiai. The event is entitled, The Science of Cannabis: Endocannabinoid Signaling and Pesticides in Cannabis Cultivation, and will take place Thursday, December 7 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building in Oakland, California.  Dr. Orser will present on the need for standardization in the cannabis industry as a prelude to the ensuing regulatory challenges ahead for the State of California under a newly regulated cannabis industry.

Dr. Cindy Orser, Chief Science Officer of Digipath, commented, “Digipath Labs is enthusiastic about participating in the scientific discussion regarding California’s burgeoning cannabis industry.”

 

Kirke LLC/Metro Denver Telluride Health Center LLC Voluntarily Recalls Medical Marijuana Due to Pesticide Residues

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COLORADO: A Denver marijuana cultivation business Kirke LLC/Metro Denver Telluride Health Center LLC, doing business as The Hemp Center Colorado Springs and The Hemp Center, is voluntarily recalling all medical marijuana due to the presence of potentially unsafe pesticide residues.

Samples of marijuana tested during a (DEH) investigation contained residual levels of Avermectin, Bifenazate, Imidacloprid and Myclobutanil, pesticides that the Colorado Department of Agriculture has determined cannot be used legally on marijuana in Colorado.
Medical marijuana plant materials subject to this recall were sold at The Hemp Center Colorado Springs located at 2501 West Colorado Avenue, Suite 106 in Colorado Springs, and The Hemp Center located at 2430 West Main Street in Littleton. All medical marijuana bearing labels with OPC codes of 403-00892 or 403-00899 are subject to this recall. Kirke LLC/Metro Denver Telluride Health Center LLC’s grow facility is located in Denver.
 

Product Identity: Source OPC: Purchased From:
All Medical Marijuana 403-00892, 403-00899 The Hemp Center Colorado Springs
2501 W Colorado Ave. Suite 106
Colorado Springs, CO  80904
License # 402-00597
All Medical Marijuana 403-00892, 403-00899 The Hemp Center
2430 W Main St
Littleton, CO  80120
License # 402-00602

Consumers who have these recalled products should dispose of the products or return them to the store from which they were purchased. For more information about the recall, contact The Hemp Center Colorado Springs or The Hemp Center at info@the-hemp-center.com.

There have been no reports of illness. The possible health impact of consuming marijuana products with unapproved pesticide residues is unknown. Short- and long-term health impacts may exist depending on the specific product, duration, frequency, level of exposure and route of exposure. Consumers with concerns about their personal health should contact their physician with related questions.

The Denver Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is investigating this issue and overseeing the recall process to remove potentially contaminated products from commercial circulation. DEH conducts inspections of marijuana-infused product manufacturers and retail locations in Denver and investigates related complaints.  

Consumers with questions or concerns about recalled product or pesticide residues in marijuana products are encouraged to contact the product retailer and/or the DEH Public Health Inspections division at phicomments@denvergov.org or 720-913-1311.

As Denver’s nationally-accredited local public health agency, the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is dedicated to advancing Denver’s environmental and public health goals. DEH Divisions include Denver Animal Protection, Community Health, Environmental Quality, Office of the Medical Examiner and Public Health Inspections.
 
For more information about Environmental Health visit www.denvergov.org/EnvironmentalHealth
 

Lightscale Labs Announces Cannabis Pesticide Testing In Oregon

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OREGON: Lightscale Labs has joined a short list of accredited laboratories in Oregon how offering the full suite of compliance testing required for recreational and medical cannabis products.

“Pesticide testing is a critical component of making cannabis safer for Oregonians,” said Justin Ouellette, CEO of Lightscale Labs. “Cannabis producers and consumers alike have spoken loudly in favor of rigorous safety standards, but achieving those standards is a complex process and it’s meant that lab testing has generally fallen behind the incredible pace of the industry as a whole. We’re now starting to catch up.”

Oregon is unique among states that have legalized cannabis for its focus on health and safety. To receive a license to test cannabis, a laboratory must be accredited by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and undergo the same scrutiny as environmental labs that traditionally offer food, water, and soil testing. The accreditation process can be lengthy, creating a bottleneck for cannabis production in the state. With its new pesticide testing services, Lightscale Labs has significantly improved that bottleneck.

Recently, the OHA considered relaxing certain testing standards. “It’s important to find the right balance,” said Ouellette. “We all want to see the cannabis industry grow healthy and strong, and that means keeping lab testing requirements realistic. We hope Oregon will continue to serve as a model for the rest of the country, prioritizing public safety and evaluating the rules as the industry evolves and our scientific understanding improves.”

Ensuring The Safety Of Marijuana Edibles

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Imagine being informed by your local city health department that you are not allowed to include a nutrition facts label on the popular products you make and sell for human consumption. Julianna Carella faced that very problem relative to gourmet snack items she produces at her Oakland, Calif.-based business, Auntie Dolores Kitchen.

“In 2010 the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) told us we had to take the nutrition label off our products,” says Carella, the company’s founder and CEO.

To be sure, Part 101 – Food Labeling of Title 21 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1, Subchapter B holds no authority over any Auntie Dolores commercial offering.

Imagine further that, even though you’re clearly turning out pretzels, assorted cookies, glazed pecans, chili lime peanuts, cheese biscuits, caramel corn, and fudge brownies for retail sales, your manufacturing facilities and products are not subject to any state or federal food laws, regulations, or inspections. Not for now, anyway.