Cannabis testing experts say Missouri labs aren’t able to test the safety of products allegedly containing hemp-derived distillate, such as the recently recalled goods made by Delta Extraction.
In a court appeal fighting the recall, Delta recently revealed it had imported hemp-derived THC oil and mixed it with a marijuana concentrate made through state-licensed methodologies, the Missouri Independent reported.
As part of its appeal – which was rejected in August – Delta said the products don’t pose a safety threat to consumers.
Hemp-derived THC isn’t regulated in Missouri, but the state’s adult-use and medical cannabis programs are subject to lab-testing requirements.
Anthony David, the owner and chief operating officer of Kansas City-based Green Precision Analytics, told the Independent that labs aren’t capable of testing for the safety of products made with both hemp- and marijuana-derived THC.
Josh Swider, vice chair of the Washington DC-based American Council of Independent Laboratories, said in fact no labs in the country are set up to test hemp-derived cannabinoids.
“No regulation out there in any state is set up for synthetically creating chemicals,” Swider said told the Independent.
“They are set up for extraction of cannabinoids – vastly different things.”