OLCC recalls 2 cannabis vape products contaminated with pesticides
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission issued a recall Thursday for two retail vaping products produced by an OLCC-licensed processor that tested positive for pesticides.
It said the products were sold by recreational marijuana licensed retailers to consumers across the state from June 10, 2022 to Tuesday of this week.
The OLCC said it has issued a notice to retailers to halt the sale of the affected products and is utilizing the state’s Cannabis Tracking System to prevent further distribution and sale.
"The products do not conform to state standards regarding cannabis product testing and therefore should not be sold or consumed," the agency said.
The products were tested for pesticides and were found to have failed for two pesticides: Pyrethrins and Piperonyl butoxide (PBO). At this stage in the OLCC’s investigation, they said it appears that the OLCC-licensed lab responsible for testing the products may have incorrectly entered into CTS that the products had “passed” a pesticides test, when in fact the products had “failed.”
Under Oregon Health Authority rules, cannabis products like vape cartridges cannot contain amounts of Pyrethirns greater than 1 part per million (ppm) and PBO cannot contain amounts greater than 2 ppm. The original test results showed that the impacted products contain 1.58 ppm of Pyrethrins and 58.7 ppm of PBO.
More than 1,000 units of the vape cartridges were sold to 29 OLCC retailers. According to CTS, at least 812 units of the two affected products have been sold to consumers since the contaminated cartridges reached the licensed retail market last spring; the retailers still have approximately 240 units on hand according to CTS.
As a result, the recall includes two products sold under product names produced by Swell Companies Limited identified below:
Product name: La Mota – Jack Herer vape cartridge | Manufacture Date: 6/3/2021 (Label ID 6466) | Tested Date: 5/17/2022 | Sold starting 11/11/2022
Product name: Her – Girl’s Night Out vape cartridge | Manufacture Date: 4/27/2022 (Label ID 6114) | Tested Date: 5/17/2022 | Sold starting 07/10/2022
OLCC said its staff are continuing to work with retailer licensees to remove the products from being offered for sale and an investigation is ongoing into the cause of the issue.
Consumers who purchased the recalled products are encouraged to destroy them or contact the retailer they purchased them from to determine if they will accept a return. The OLCC said it has not received any health-related complaints from the use of the recalled products.
Consumers with health-related concerns about a recalled product should contact the Oregon Poison Center at 800-222-1222, or their medical provider. Consumers who consumed this product may experience respiratory irritation. Symptoms of respiratory irritation are coughing, wheezing, and triggering asthma symptoms in people who already have it.
If consumers have other product related complaints related to this recall, they should notify the OLCC at olcc.recalls@oregon.gov and include any information they have, including the consumer’s name and phone number, or alternative means of contact.
