84 percent of medical marijuana samples contained large amounts of pesticides

[lwien]

Not until 2018.......

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/sd-me-marijuana-pesticides-20161028-story.html

 

[Farid]

Here in MA the testing requirements for MMJ are so strict that many dispensaries had trouble getting flower which could pass. On the one hand it was annoying that the dispensary roll out was taking so long, but I'm glad that the standards are high. I'm also glad they kept the standards for recreational lower, so that new business won't be held back.

 

[cannabis.pro]

I'm also glad they kept the standards for recreational lower, so that new business won't be held back.

There shouldn't be two standards. Human consumption is human consumption. Medical patients with compromised immune systems deserve rigorous standards and protocols, but I don't think new businesses should be given any passes in terms of growing proper cannabis because they are new. If someone can't grow clean commercial cannabis, then perhaps they should find a new profession.

 

[Farid]

The recreational market is catering to people who are smoking, so there is already an implied health hazard. We don't require these extremely strict standards for tobacco or alcohol products.

With medical cannabis, however, there is an implied health benefit, and I think it's reasonable to have those standards higher. It's also why I'm willing to pay $300+ for tested bud from a dispensary when I have access to homegrown bud for ~$250 an oz.

I am NOT saying there should be no rec standards. But the MA medical requirements are extremely strict. If we were to apply those standards to the rec industry I think it would hurt businesses. I'm happy with how they've done it in MA.

 

[seaofgreens]

Would be curious to see what percentage of those results stem from the use of bud hardening products containing paclobutrazol. Also, the products are not certifiably organic if these insecticides were detected, because as far as I know, there are no OMRI certified insecticides containing any of these products, and to be certified organic, legally, you can only use products that are OMRI listed.

It is a label you should be able to rely on. That this is not the case, is a failure of enforcement, rather than policy.

 

[invertedisdead]

Would be curious to see what percentage of those results stem from the use of bud hardening products containing paclobutrazol. Also, the products are not certifiably organic if these insecticides were detected, because as far as I know, there are no OMRI certified insecticides containing any of these products, and to be certified organic, legally, you can only use products that are OMRI listed.

It is a label you should be able to rely on. That this is not the case, is a failure of enforcement, rather than policy.

There is no certifiable organic standards for cannabis as it is federally illegal. Somebody posted an article about this recently. I think it was in the SoCal mmj thread.

 

[CarolKing]

It depends where you live.
This is from Oct. 2016

Washington State’s Department of Agriculture (WSDA) wants to streamline the state’s marijuana regulation. And, in the process, it’s hoping to develop a stamp of approval for organically grown cannabis.

The WSDA is proposing to hire a “cannabis coordinator” to oversee the department’s regulation of the state’s marijuana industry. The job could include administering a program to certify organically grown marijuana.

Hector Castro, the WSDA’s communications director, said the department currently has a variety of cannabis programs and divisions without any central coordination. That includes pesticide testing and the inspection of edibles labeling, a job the department currently performs under contract with the state’s top marijuana regulator, the Liquor and Cannabis Board.

“For years we have done the food and safety inspections, the sanitation inspections for our food processors. So there was already expertise in this agency to do this kind of work,” Castro said of the testing and inspections.

After the department performs its tasks, it gives the Liquor and Cannabis Board the data. The board uses the information to determine whether a marijuana processor should get a license.

Under the WSDA’s proposal, the department would formally handle testing, inspecting and licensing.

To cover the costs, license applicants would pay the department a fee.

The WSDA plans to send a two-year budget proposal for its regulatory scheme to Gov. Jay Inslee, who then will issue his own budget. That’s when ag department officials will learn if their proposal will go forward. The legislature would then have to include the department’s plan in its budget.

“This is really early in the game,” Castro said.

In terms of organic certification, Castro said the department probably wouldn’t use the term “organic.” That’s because the federal government regulates organic standards – and Uncle Sam considers marijuana an illegal substance.

“There would have to be some discussion over terminology because organic certification is a federal program,” Castro said.

Historically, Washington’s organic growers have come together to develop the criteria they followed. Castro anticipates applying much the same principle to marijuana.

 

[seaofgreens]

Well, you can use third party certifying agencies and still be certified. The standards are the same either way.
We use these guys for instance: http://www.abeeorganic.com

Also, there is nothing that I could specifically come across in the organic regulations pertaining to marijuana not being a crop allowed to be certified: https://www.nofany.org/files/NOP_Organic_Regulations.10.26.15.pdf

The entire process has to do with the source of everything used in growth to harvest, that it is using only organic seeds, only organic fertilization, only organic pesticides, and that the land/process itself is being managed properly. It has nothing to do with what is or isn't allowed to be certified.

So, imo, while it is easy to say the USDA themselves can not legally inspect a grow op, there is nothing wrong with a certified private agency like abee organic for instance, from inspecting and certifying a marijuana grow.

On the other hand, someone simply saying a product is organic or organically grown is just that. Someone saying what they believe or want you to believe. Hence the idea of being certified organic. Something you should be able to trust because of the standards that are set in stone must be followed, inspected and signed off on.

And as an edit: The standards for organic Marijuana don't need to be any different than what is already in place. They just need to have a private certifying agency follow these standards, inspect facilities and say, you are good to go, the companies reputation stands behind USDA regulations etc. etc. and any testing that shows a certified producer failing to meet requirements would be met with harsh penalties, just like how it is with every other organic certification agency.

 

[cannabis.pro]

These folks certify organic without using the term organic for Cannabis due to federal law conflict in the US:
https://www.cleangreencert.org

 

[seaofgreens]

Yeah, that's probably the exact type of private agency that I would be referring to. So instead of USDA certified organic, you can be Clean Green Certified using, more than likely, the exact same standards/inspections.

 

[looney2nz]

There is no certifiable organic standards for cannabis as it is federally illegal. Somebody posted an article about this recently. I think it was in the SoCal mmj thread.

'Federally legal' or not... The only organic standard that I'm aware of is the 'Clean Green Certified Organic' program run by Chris Van Hook. https://www.cleangreencert.org/about-us/ Worthwhile checking out his site! Strong foundation, nice protocol... we need more folks to do this!

http://www.slate.com/articles/busin...nt_but_it_can_t_call_itself_organic_here.html

This is the direction most meds will be headed, along with rigorous testing to be sure that no one (patient or not) is exposed to anything harmful that should be there. Think about it this way... liability.

The family of the patient that died could conceivably file a civil suit against the supplier, for that matter, the local DA could direct an investigation that could make it a criminal matter. No business-person in their right mind wants that kind of exposure.

 

[invertedisdead]

That's the one I was talking about, you might have been the one that posted it in the SoCal thread.

 

[looney2nz]

It depends where you live.
This is from Oct. 2016

Washington State’s Department of Agriculture (WSDA) wants to streamline the state’s marijuana regulation. And, in the process, it’s hoping to develop a stamp of approval for organically grown cannabis.

The WSDA is proposing to hire a “cannabis coordinator” to oversee the department’s regulation of the state’s marijuana industry. The job could include administering a program to certify organically grown marijuana.

Hector Castro, the WSDA’s communications director, said the department currently has a variety of cannabis programs and divisions without any central coordination. That includes pesticide testing and the inspection of edibles labeling, a job the department currently performs under contract with the state’s top marijuana regulator, the Liquor and Cannabis Board.

“For years we have done the food and safety inspections, the sanitation inspections for our food processors. So there was already expertise in this agency to do this kind of work,” Castro said of the testing and inspections.

After the department performs its tasks, it gives the Liquor and Cannabis Board the data. The board uses the information to determine whether a marijuana processor should get a license.

Under the WSDA’s proposal, the department would formally handle testing, inspecting and licensing.

To cover the costs, license applicants would pay the department a fee.

The WSDA plans to send a two-year budget proposal for its regulatory scheme to Gov. Jay Inslee, who then will issue his own budget. That’s when ag department officials will learn if their proposal will go forward. The legislature would then have to include the department’s plan in its budget.

“This is really early in the game,” Castro said.

In terms of organic certification, Castro said the department probably wouldn’t use the term “organic.” That’s because the federal government regulates organic standards – and Uncle Sam considers marijuana an illegal substance.

“There would have to be some discussion over terminology because organic certification is a federal program,” Castro said.

Historically, Washington’s organic growers have come together to develop the criteria they followed. Castro anticipates applying much the same principle to marijuana.

ok, color me confused... how can WA state have an 'organic' cannabis, when they reclassified 200 pesticides and fungicides as 'organic'? Unless it's grown with Chris Van Hook's 'Clean Green' certification, I wouldn't believe it.

Inverted:
That's the one I was talking about, you might have been the one that posted it in the SoCal thread.

I was, I learned about Chris through my friend and mentor who used those techniques in his grows in the Emerald Triangle.

 

[dgmulf]

I only recently became aware of the pesticide issue. I called my local dispensary (in CA) and asked them if they carry any organic strains, and they claimed "all our strains are organic".

This immediately seemed a little fishy to me. They carry a lot of strains. Every single one is organically grown? Really? How can I trust that?

 

[Krazy]

I only recently became aware of the pesticide issue. I called my local dispensary (in CA) and asked them if they carry any organic strains, and they claimed "all our strains are organic".

This immediately seemed a little fishy to me. They carry a lot of strains. Every single one is organically grown? Really? How can I trust that?

You can't. At all.

Are you old enough to remember when Kentucky FRIED Chicken rebranded to KFC? They spent much $$ on studies to determine that fried chicken had negative health connotations and a negative impact on their profits. Actually doing something about the fact that they were selling fried food and it was bad for people wasn't happening because money. Sooo...

ok, color me confused... how can WA state have an 'organic' cannabis, when they reclassified 200 pesticides and fungicides as 'organic'?

Magick! You just answered your own question, lol.

 

[looney2nz]

I only recently became aware of the pesticide issue. I called my local dispensary (in CA) and asked them if they carry any organic strains, and they claimed "all our strains are organic".

This immediately seemed a little fishy to me. They carry a lot of strains. Every single one is organically grown? Really? How can I trust that?

not to contradict Krazy, but there is one method of determining if the stuff is organic,
if it is branded with Clean Green Certification badging, it has to meet pretty stringent organic requirements (actually almost the very same ones the USDA uses). https://www.cleangreencert.org/about-us/

We need more and more growers to adopt this approach. Sadly tho, it is far more rare than one would hope.

Start demanding Clean Green Certified product.

 

[dgmulf]

You can't. At all.

Maybe they meant that all their strains were equally organic, as in... not at all.

Thanks for cluing me in to the Clean Green certification by the way. I did a little research today and found a CG certified collective that delivers to my area, so I'll definitely be swapping over to them. The bud is more expensive, but I think it's worth it. Luckily I use such an infinitesimal amount that I'm not spending much on herb to begin with.

 

[sanfranciscosadhu]

Living in San Francisco, I think most of the dispensary testing done is mainly to determine THC and CBD levels. They also make sure there's no mold. Having lived previously in Humboldt county and seeing a lot of grows,I can tell you that in my observation indoor material is more likely to b exposed to pesticides. One little bug can wipe out the whole harvest in a very short time in that artificial environment.
Then you have large outdoor super grows with people dumping pesticides in the waterways. It's quite sad actually and usually seldom talked about.
Some of the better dispensaries are starting to offer pesticide free product, though it's still a small percentage of their overall line. Most people seem to think that flushing the plants well prior to harvesting is enough. I'm decidedly NOT in this category. Besides it being bad for the consumer, we must also respect Mother Earth. If this plant is medicine, and I think it is, it needs to grown with love and respect, instead of a way to make a quick buck.

 

[Krazy]

Are there actually growers supplying cleangreen meds to dispensaries? that is very cool if so.

 

[looney2nz]

Are there actually growers supplying cleangreen meds to dispensaries? that is very cool if so.

yes there are, go to the site and lookup the growers in different states.

 

[Krazy]

Well that figures, nothing in New Mexico.

 

[looney2nz]

Well that figures, nothing in New Mexico.

talk to your dispensary, ask 'em if they can get any of their growers to get with the program so to speak

 

[lwien]

So I emailed my go-to dispensary, CornerstoneResearch with our concern in regards to pesticides and I asked if they not only test for pesticides but requested the labs that they use. The following was their response:
------------------------------------
Thanks for your interest and diligence. We are one of the most highly regulated dispensaries, and these issues are & have always been very important to us. In addition to our cultivation regulations on grow techniques, YES we do run lab tests on our medicines for impurities In addition to our potency and terpene tests, we include "Microbial Analysis" molds and pesticides. We do what is called blind testing with our labs. Meaning that they do not know what they are testing. We also send the same meds to several different labs, to verify their work. The labs we use are Halent, Steep Hill, Excelsior, and Pure Analytics.
I hope this answers your questions.
Thank you for asking.
---------------------------------------
This dispensary has a great reputation in SoCal so their response was not that surprising. Their product is a bit more expensive than competing dispensaries but considering the price of testing, this also is not surprising.

 

[Laantje]

Same problem here in The Netherlands. A month ago they tested 25 samples from Coffeeshops all over the country, 23 of them had pesticides.

The system here is crap anyway, they made it legal for Coffeeshops to sell weed but nobody is allowed to grow so the weed they have is still bought from street dealers. That doesn't make sense at all. They want to change it though, its just taking too long. A few months ago they were discussing about state-controlled farms. That should make it alot cheaper here, but I am kinda worried the quality would be worse aswell.

As for home growing, a maximum of 5 plants per house is 'decriminalized' which means they might still get rid of your plants but you won't get any problems with it.

Back to my previous message (see the quote above) the law about 'State-Controlled' cannabis farms for the coffeeshops has been passed two days ago! This is big news for users in The Netherlands! It still needs to be approved by the Senate (Desicions are made by the House of Representives, which then needs to be approved by the Senate) but the chance is big that it will become reality here.

Theoretically, this would mean that the weed will be cleaner and cheaper. They are going to put tax on the weed, but experts say that even with the tax the price should lower alot per gram. Let's just hope the strength stays the same, since the weed here is very strong right now.

Man this is wonderful news lol it has been discussed for a very long time now, and even though they made very good points about wether it should be legal or not it had been ignored for so long. Now they're finally taking steps, I thought they weren't going to for atleast another 5 years.

 

[DrRishi]

I agree that is is a good thing that the NL government is finally prepared to implement a joined up solution but one of the down sides is that also want to put a limited on the THC content of the weed. Anything with a high THC content will be treated as hard drugs.

I am also hoping that because it will become legal for licensed companies to produce weed that that will not then make it illegal for us to grow our own. I still think this is the best way if you have the space and the inclination.