Arizona’s state-appointed council has decided that trace amounts of some pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbial growth are safe in medical marijuana.
With marijuana testing to start in November of 2020, the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) put the medical marijuana testing advisory council together in September as a requirement. The group finalized its recommendations on December 23rd.
A draft version of the DHS’ final report reveals that the group argues that products for sale in Arizona should contain less than or equal to 100 colony-forming units of E. coli, no detectable salmonella, and only trace amounts of other microbial growth in order to be sold at dispensaries.
The report says that all products should be tested for four heavy metals — arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury — and only products that contain very small amounts should be sold on the market.
The council has also included a list of 18 residual solvents, including toxic substances like ethanol and chloroform and indicates that the state should test for in order to protect patient safety.
