OLCC recalls pesticide-contaminated marijuana products

Notifies retailers to place hold on all affected products

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Liquor Control Commission said Wednesday it is issuing an immediate health and safety recall after identifying pesticide contaminated marijuana products sold through OLCC recreational marijuana licensed retailers.

The OLCC has notified retailers to place a hold on all affected products.

The marijuana flower and extract products initially failed pesticide testing (for the analyte Abamectin) with a subcontracted laboratory, but the primary lab – Ecotest – marked that it passed testing in March 2020.

The OLCC in September 2020 issued an immediate license suspension to Ecotest due to a number of violations, including the loss of accreditation from the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP) for failing to meet required testing procedures and standards (see OLCC press release). Later, the OLCC formally cancelled Ecotest’s license.

The contaminated marijuana originally entered the Oregon market from a medical grower transferring it into the OLCC regulated system. Oregon Medical Marijuana Program growers are allowed, with prior approval, to sell no more than 20 pounds of marijuana flower annually into the recreational system.

The contaminated product includes several strains of marijuana flower pre-rolls, and “Purple Slurry” extract.

Consumers can identify the affected products with the following information:

“Emerald Extracts Purple Slurry”

• Manufactured by Emerald Treasure LLC (030-1008341A083)
• Label Id = 2805
• Made on 9/9/20
• Tested by MW Labs (010-1008606C050) on 9/14/2020

Marijuana flower pre-rolls

• Strains of “Qurkle,” “BP Oil Slick,” or “Green Crush”
• Tested by Ecotest (010-1008170B3B6) on 3/12/2020
• Sold from Bernie's Universal Dispensaries in South Beach, OR

Consumers who have these recalled products should dispose of the products or return them to the retailer where they were purchased.

A table listing the retailers that sold the items and the approximate dates the products were sold is attached to the press release version of this communication, which can be found on the OLCC website.

The contamination issue was reported to OLCC on December 29, 2020 by a second processor whose extract product failed pesticide testing; their product was never sold to consumers. Using data from the Cannabis Tracking System, OLCC staff were able to verify the failed subcontracted test, trace the affected items in the system, and issue guidance to licensees to set aside the contaminated product.

Consumers who have these recalled products should dispose of the products or return them to the retailer where they were purchased.  Consumers can follow these instructions found on the OLCC Recreational Marijuana Program website to destroy marijuana on their own.

There have been no reports of illness. The possible health impact of consuming marijuana products with unapproved pesticide residues is unknown. Short and long-term health impacts may exist depending on the specific product, duration, frequency, level of exposure, and route of exposure. Consumers with concerns about their personal health should contact their physician with related questions. Consumers with questions or concerns about recalled product or pesticide residues in marijuana products are encouraged to contact the product retailer and/or the Oregon Poison Center at 800-222-1222.