More Than 60,000 Marijuana Products Recalled

After an anonymous tip led to the recall of more than 60,000 marijuana products in Missouri, legal proceedings of the matter have escalated, leading to a situation that seems, well, less than chill.

On August 14, Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) issued a release detailing a recall for products that had been sold to dispensaries and manufacturers by Delta Extraction, LLC — a company that sells infused marijuana products. 

Although there have been no adverse reactions reported in relation to Delta’s products, the DCR stated that the recall was issued because the company’s products present “a potential threat to health and safety.”

The recall centers on the way these products are tracked. Legalized marijuana products are tracked through the Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance (METRC) system. This “seed-to-sale” system records the weight and location of products being sold at each stage of the distribution process to ensure that they have not been tampered with and that they are in compliance with regulations relative to legal THC sales.

Missouri requires that all marijuana products legally sold in the state are also produced within the state. The anonymous tip against Delta Extraction alleges that the company was not in compliance with the state’s tracking system and that the state, therefore, had no way of ensuring the products’ safety.

In terms of safety, the state’s concern is that any blips in the tracking system could open the door for the products to become laced or contaminated with other unregulated or illegal substances, such as heroin and fentanyl that could cause harm to consumers. 

Although there are no official statistics detailing incidents of marijuana being laced with more illicit substances, reports of people being hospitalized after unknowingly consuming laced products that they bought legally have increased in recent years. In May, the New York State Department of Health issued a cautionary warning to people who use marijuana after law enforcement officials revealed that some of the marijuana they had confiscated had tested positive for fentanyl, which can be deadly when consumed in excess.

Rich Chrismer, a spokesperson for Delta Extraction, called the state’s claims “baffling” and insisted the company’s products pose no threat. He maintains that the company is an “industry leader in providing and promoting safe, quality, and compliant cannabis products.”

“Delta Extraction has passed all state inspections, from their inception, with flying colors, and never received a notice of violation,” Chrismer said in a statement. “Its operations meet or exceed industry standards, and the safety of its customers has always been its number one priority.”

Until it has been determined that Delta Extraction’s products are safe, the DCR is recommending that anyone who has purchased products manufactured by the company stop using them. They should be either disposed of or returned to the dispensary where they were purchased, per the state’s release on the recall.