Nine medical cannabis businesses have had batches of cannabis test positive for banned pesticides since testing was mandated earlier this year, according to state regulators.
The Department of Business Regulation says none of the products ended up being sold to patients, and all the batches that failed pesticide testing have either been destroyed or quarantined pending a re-test.
Rhode Island only started enforcing pesticide testing on June 30 of this year, despite medical cannabis being sold in the state since 2013. Medical cannabis patients for years expressed frustration about the delay in implementing mandatory testing in Rhode Island, which finally began last year with testing for potency. Other mandatory tests check for heavy metals, molds, and other contaminants.
There are 17 pesticides banned by the Department of Health, and products are considered positive if they are found to have more than ten parts per billion in a lab test.
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