LIFESTYLE , MARIJUANA LAW , TESTING 93% of Southern California Cannabis Fails Lab Test for Pesticides

In a stunning report by NBC Los Angeles’s I-Team, a recent investigation into local cannabis dispensary’s unearthed the shocking statistic that 93% of Sothern California cannabis procured from local clinics have cannabis product that fails lab tests for pesticides! To conduct their investigation, the I-Team obtained 44 different samples of medical marijuana flower or vape cartridges from local cannabis dispensary’s throughout the counties of Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Bernadino. They then brought the samples to tested by Steep Hill Labs, a prominent California laboratory and testing facility based out of Berkeley, CA. 41 of them triggered a failed test because the sample contained one or even multiple known pesticides, often at a concentration much higher than safe for human consumption.

“It appears pesticides are very widely used on California’s marijuana crops,”

said Dr. Don Land, a UC Davis chemistry professor who is Steep Hill’s chief scientist.

“It was surprising that so many (samples) had so much contamination.”

Dr. Land further explained that one possible reason is that California has no laws or regulations banning the use of pesticides on marijuana crops, unlike many other states and there are no federally approved pesticides for cannabis.

It’s worth noting the samples were only tested for pesticides and were not further analyzed for the multitude of other harmful byproducts that can be found on improperly grown or stored cannabis such as mold or fungus. Which can be equally if not more harmful if ingested.

The worst part of all this, besides the sheer prevalence of pesticides sold in local dispensary’s, is that we are talking about medicine. People depend on access to safe and effective medicine to treat serious ailments and to see local medical clinics fail their patients like this is absurd and also beckons the question, if you prefer Organically grown foods then why wouldn’t you care just as much about what goes into the cannabis you grow or smoke?

One thing is clear. As a patient, it’s important to be informed about the decisions you make regarding your medication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, see certified lab tests and have products carefully explained to you. If the club you’re going to can’t provide that, Maybe it’s time to check out somewhere else. One thing is for certain, there needs to be drastic changes made. The days of people getting into the industry simply just to make money are approaching an end, which is great news, especially for those growers who actually consider the medicinal properties and plant sacred and continue to treat it as so. It’s Medicine.

In a time when so much is going on nationally. It’s always important to consider the local community as it has the biggest impact on our lives. Local issues also matter so don’t forget to take time to educate yourself with Measure M and Measure N, two upcoming ballot measures regarding Los Angeles County and how it intends on regulating cannabis.