Boulder Botanics Pesticide Recall Is Second in a Week

Cannabis products from Boulder Botanics has been recalled for unapproved pesticide use. On Wednesday, November 28, the Colorado departments of Public Health and Environment, Agriculture and Revenue issued a health and safety advisory, warning consumers of potentially unsafe products sold at the Boulder dispensary. It was the second cannabis recall issued by the agencies in a week.

According to recall documents, CDA inspectors found levels of bifenthrin and diuron in cannabis samples from the Boulder Botanics internal cultivation, Crossroads Wellness LLC. The announcement advises customers to check the license numbers of any products purchased from the dispensary, most of which were harvested in June and July.

"CDPHE and DOR deem it a threat to public health and safety when pesticides that are not on the list of approved pesticides for marijuana use as determined by CDA are applied in a manner inconsistent with the pesticide’s label," reads the recall. "Consumers who have these affected products in their possession should return them to the medical center from which they were purchased so they can be properly disposed of."

The recall says the affected products were sold to medical marijuana patients only and include cannabis flower, trim, concentrates and infused products. Here is the list of license numbers for the recalled products:

• #JUL2018H.M2.FLO.7.27.18
  
• #JUL2018H.M2.PK.7.27.18
  
• #JUN2018H.M2.DP.6.19.18
  
• #JUN2018H.M2.MSS.6.19.18
  
• #JUN2018H.M3.BBSD.6.11.18
  
• #JUN2018H.M3.YB.6.11.18
  

Bifenthrin is an insecticide used to kill gnats, mites, thrips and other pests that are common to cannabis. The Environmental Protection Agency currently lists it as a "possible human carcinogen" if ingested. Diuron is an herbicide, usually deployed on fruit, cotton and other traditional crops to attack invasive vegetation like algae or moss by inhibiting photosynthesis. The chemical hasn't been shown to be carcinogenic, but has the potential to cause liver and spleen enlargement through low exposure over extended periods of time.

Boulder Botanics manager Sabrina Galloway says the company is still trying to determine the source of the unapproved pesticides, and is cooperating with the DOR's Marijuana Enforcement Division during the "ongoing investigation."

"We only want to offer safe, high-quality products to our customers and have isolated the batches in question while we cooperate with the investigation. I hope to have more answers soon," Galloway says.

The CDA has not yet responded to our requests for comment.

The Boulder Botanics recall came exactly one week after Denver medical dispensary Lush was hit with a recall because of the alleged used of the unapproved pesticide pyriproxyfen. Lush has denied any knowledge of using the pesticide.