Colorado cannabis consumers are reporting health problems after using vaporizer products sold at more than 400 stores in the state that have since been recalled, according to officials.
The state Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement Division said Thursday that it has “been receiving adverse health event reports from consumers of” vape products made by StayCon, which does business as Craft.
What Colorado cannabis products were recalled?
StayCon in mid-September voluntarily recalled 49 products, some of which had appeared on store shelves 18 months ago, after a third-party lab discovered methylene chloride, a solvent that can cause cancer.
Botanically derived terpenes, often added to THC oil for flavor, appear to have been the source, The Denver Gazette first reported.
MED followed up the limited voluntary recall with a health and safety advisory on Sept. 25, instructing consumers to return or destroy 21 different Craft vaporizer flavors.
At the time, officials had not received any reports of adverse health effects. But since that advisory, consumers have reported falling ill to both the MED and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, MED said in a press release Thursday.
The MED didn’t say how many reports it has received or what symptoms consumers described.
What’s making Colorado cannabis consumers sick?
Denver-based Bona Fides Laboratory detected the solvent in August during routine pesticide and mold screening.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned methylene chloride for most uses because it can cause cancer.
StayCon’s recall notice blamed a “botanically derived” flavoring compound.
Manufacturers can also use methylene chloride to cheaply convert hemp-derived CBD into THC.
The hemp-derived product is then falsely labeled and sold as state-licensed cannabis, a practice known as inversion.
Colorado bans manufacturers from using the solvent as well as the conversion process.
Justin Trouard, owner of Colorado cultivator Mammoth Farms, has said he suspects StayCon was selling synthesized hemp-derived cannabinoids in the regulated market.
He provided The Gazette and ProPublica with test results showing a third-party lab determined a StayCon vape was made from chemically synthesized hemp source material.
StayCon’s lawyer denied the allegation at the time.
What should consumers do if they purchased an affected vaporizer?
The MED is urging consumers to take four steps:
- Check vape labels to see if they are affected Craft products.
- Stop using any affected product immediately.
- Seek medical attention for adverse health effects.
- Report adverse health effects to the MED using the MED reporting form.
The MED will post updates on its Health and Safety Advisory webpage if it identifies additional affected products.
The health problems in Colorado follow similar reports of adverse health effects in Ohio.
Last month, regulators asked a retailer to voluntarily shut down after two people reported falling ill after using vaporizers.
The store, owned by Arizona-based Vext Sciences, reopened after an investigation found no contaminants in the products.
Last year, Colorado cannabis recalls spiked to record levels. Observers speculated that market pressures, including falling prices, could be compelling operators to cut corners.
