By Matt Whittaker / NewsBreak Denver
(Denver, Colo.) State officials warned the public about potential health issues with medical marijuana sold in 10 dispensaries in five Colorado cities including Denver.
The Marijuana Enforcement Division of the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) issued a health and safety advisory Wednesday after identifying potentially unsafe levels of yeast and mold in medical marijuana flower produced by Beyond Broadway, which does business as LivWell Enlightened Health.
“Through an investigation, the DOR has identified medical marijuana flower (bud/shake/trim) from packages derived from a harvest batch produced by Beyond Broadway LLC that contained levels of contaminants above acceptable limits for total yeast and mold or were determined to be potentially contaminated,” the state said.
Marijuana found to contain levels of yeast and mold above acceptable limits established in Colorado law is “a threat to public health and safety,” the state said.
The state said potentially contaminated packages were sold between July 28 and Aug. 22 from the following stores:
- LivWell at 1941 West Evans Ave. in Denver
- LivWell at 570 North Murray Blvd. in Colorado Springs
- White Mountain Medicine at 3234 North Nevada Avenue in Colorado Springs
- LivWell at 900 North College Ave. in Fort Collins
- LivWell at 1015 2nd St. in Berthoud
- LivWell at 2647 8th Ave., Unit B, in Garden City.
More information about identifying potentially contaminated batches can be found here.
According to Chris Mapson, vice president for marketing with LivWell Enlightened Health, the enforcement division in August asked for testing of random samples at LivWell’s production facilities. He said that all of those samples passed initially, but a small number required additional testing, where they failed.
The company removed products related to the failed batch from its dispensaries and quarantined for the remainder of the duration of the enforcement division’s investigation, Mapson said.
“Molds and other natural organisms are inherent in the cultivation and storage of an agricultural product like cannabis,” he said. “Everything we grow and make is tested by state-licensed, independent laboratories to ensure our products meet the standards set by the MED for contaminants, including mold and other microorganisms, before they can be shipped to dispensaries and sold to consumers.”
Separately, the enforcement division sent out an informational notification Wednesday after identifying medical marijuana harvest batches produced by WTJ Family Enterprises, which does business as WTJ MMJ Supply, that weren’t tested according to state regulations.
The state issued the informational notification instead of a health and safety advisory because samples of the WTJ marijuana sold to consumers were unavailable for testing to confirm contamination.
State officials “deem it a public health and safety concern when marijuana is found to have not been appropriately tested,” the notification said.
“Upon inspection of WTJ Family Enterprises’ cultivation facility, substances assumed to be mold were found on surfaces within the facility,” the enforcement division said.
The state said potentially contaminated packages were from the following stores in Colorado Springs:
- WTJ Family Enterprises at 1347 North Academy
- MC Strategic Ventures at 3750 Astrozon Boulevard, Suite 140
- Bobby Brown Best Buds at 506 South Nevada Avenue
- Third Day Apothecary 4865 North Academy Boulevard, Unit B.
More information about identifying potentially contaminated batches can be found here.
Andrew Heaton, owner of WTJ, did not provide answers to emailed questions by publication time.
Comments / 44