The Canadian department of health admitted Tuesday that it will begin random testing of medical marijuana — legal in Canada — for the presence of banned pesticides.
CBC reports that the tests for tainted weed were prompted by product recalls that affected almost 25,000 users, claims of product-related sickness and threats of a class-action lawsuit.
In a statement, Health Canada said it “will begin random testing of medical cannabis products produced by licensed producers, to provide added assurance to Canadians that they are receiving safe, quality-controlled product.”
The department is directing medical cannabis producers to only use “authorized” pest control products when they prepare their medical marijuana.
“The expanded product testing program will further enhance the Department’s existing regime of regular unannounced inspections of licensed producer facilities, as well as the controls in place by licensed producers,” reads the statement.
In 2016, drug inspectors discovered low levels of banned chemicals myclobutanil, bifenazate and pyrethrins in products from licensed medical marijuana producers Organigram and Mettrum, who voluntarily recalled their products.
Then on Jan. 31, 2017, Health Canada reported receiving three adverse reaction reports from Organigram’s nearly 3,900 medical marijuana customers who reported symptoms that included “weight loss; nausea; vomiting; throat irritation; and respiratory tract infection,” according to an email from the department, which also indicated 15 additional adverse reaction reports coming from Mettrum customers.
Dawn Rae Downton, a Halifax, Nova Scotia woman who uses medical marijuana, told Health Canada officials that she was experiencing non-stop nausea and vomiting.
“I am living proof there have been very adverse effects. I lost eight months of my life,” she said. “I’m living proof that Health Canada is not protecting medical marijuana patients.”
A physician diagnosed her as having an atypical case of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and instructed Downtown to stop using cannabis. Her doctor suggested that her symptoms resembled those of a chronic pot user.
Downton says she lost 30 pounds and was unable to leave her bed as a result of the illness.
“I never want to be that sick again,” she said.