After two facilities’ medical cannabis products tested positive for heavy metals, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has placed a hold on their production processes until they can determine whether the degree of contamination poses health risks to patients.
What Caused This Marijuana Production Hold in Missouri?
Though the identities of the businesses have not yet been released, the reason for the administrative hold was due to a testing lab’s discovery that the marijuana had traces of cadmium in it.
Cadmium is not an altogether uncommon heavy metal to be found in industrial cannabis cultivation, though, in high quantities, it carries carcinogenic properties. As with many other plants, the cannabis plant draws in heavy metals that are present in the soil in which it grows; however, this can sometimes result in dangerous levels of contaminants being absorbed into the plant. This is particularly of concern for cultivation facilities that are located in close proximity to metal mining operations. Generally, the roots and leaves of affected marijuana plants will have the higher concentration of this toxic substance rather than the flower, but this still poses a health concern that regulators must address.
What Does This Mean for Missouri Patients?
It is important to Missouri patients that they receive quality product that has a high standard of testing and safety compared to that of the illegal market. Luckily, Missouri has thorough testing standards for medical marijuana products, and patients can rest a bit easier knowing that these safety protocols are in place and are being implemented for every product that is on a licensed dispensary shelf.
Other metals and substances for which Missouri has implemented testing failure levels for marijuana products include:
- Inorganic Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Total Chromium
- Lead
- Mercury
- Abamectin
- Acephate
- Acequinocyl
- Acetamiprid
- Aldicarb
- Azoxystrobin
- Bifenazate
- Bifenthrin
- Boscalid
- Carbaryl
- Carbofuran
- Chlorantraniliprole
For a complete breakdown of Missouri marijuana testing standards, you can visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website.
Additional Resources:
At The Weed Blog, we strive to produce the latest online news resources regarding marijuana. We also review various strains of cannabis or other edible counterparts. We are committed to helping you find valuable information about marijuana on our website. With marijuana laws constantly changing, learn from us what you can do to promote activism in your area. Otherwise, consider these other top-tier articles regarding cannabis:
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