Illegal Cannabis Contaminants Alarming
BC Public Safety Minister Warns of Illegal Cannabis Contaminants – LPC
Mike Farnworth, British Columbia’s public safety minister and solicitor general, is warning the public about illegal cannabis contaminants. A test of 20 dry cannabis samples seized in raids showed alarming results. Eighteen of the 20 showed at least one of 24 different pesticides found in the samples combined. The samples also had unacceptable levels of bacteria, fungi or heavy metals, he said.
Only three of the 20 samples would have been “fit for sale” according to the CBC report, had they been produced and sold legally. Nine would have been unacceptable, and eight would require further investigation. (Please see link below for the full article.)
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control and the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health collaborated on conducting the tests. Samples were taken from six different illegal cannabis stores in Vancouver .
These results reflect similar findings from 2018. An analysis of 63 dried cannabis samples from licensed producers (LPs) found two pesticides in eight contaminated samples. And, earlier this year, surface sampling found 41 pesticides at an unlicensed grow site versus six at an LP.
This underlines the need for an overseeing agency like Health Canada. Many would like to see the agency loosen cannabis rules, especially with regards to cannabis marketing. But the agency does greatly reduce the risk seen with illegal cannabis contaminants, along with other dangers.
Illegal Cannabis Contaminants Not the Only Concern – LPC
Illegal cannabis contaminants are not the only concern. Farnworth also mentioned the dangers of copycat cannabis.
“For adults who have children in their lives, do not buy illicit cannabis that is packaged to look like candy, because kids can mistake it for candy and may end up in hospital,” Farnworth said.
He added that buying from illegal cannabis stores in Vancouver or from an illegal online cannabis store could support organized crime.
“In contrast, when you buy from a licensed seller, you can trust the label on the product,” he said. “You know that you’re supporting legitimate, local businesses and workers, and you can feel assured that the tax revenue will go toward the public services that we all rely on.”
Of all the provinces, BC seems to have been the slowest on switching to legal cannabis sources. This is for a number of reasons including is stronger cannabis tradition. But it quickly caught up – the BC legal cannabis market exploded in 2020. However, as this report shows, even illegal storefronts are reality in Vancouver. For those worried about illegal cannabis contaminants, this report should be a wake-up call.
Read the Whole Article on the CBC News Website
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