Nearly 10 years after Arizona approved the use of medical marijuana, the medicine remains a controversial topic for many. In fact, universal agreement related to almost anything to do with marijuana would seem incredibly unlikely.
However, there is one area where nearly everyone agrees: Arizona should mandate testing of medical marijuana to ensure that patients are not inadvertently exposing themselves to toxic chemicals, E. Coli, Salmonella or mold. With 61 tons of the drug consumed last year, now is the time to be proactive to protect patients from unsafe contaminants.
While Arizona voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2010, the state hasn’t instituted any required process to make sure that harmful herbicides, fungicides and residual solvents are not contained in this medicine. While many expected mandatory testing to be a part of the initial program, over the years Arizona has yet to require any testing of the drug.
That’s not for any lack of consensus. Health officials, patients and politicians on both sides of the aisle all agree. It’s mind-boggling to try to understand why it has taken this long to implement required testing of a medicine that 200,000 Arizonans take each year.
Read more at azcapitoltimes.com
