Pubdate: Wed, 21 Sep 2016
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2016 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Grant Robertson
Page: A1

OTTAWA FAILED TO ACT ON TESTS SHOWING TOXINS IN RETAIL POT

Health Minister Jane Philpott's office was warned nearly a year ago
that dangerous contaminants had been found in retail marijuana sold by
unregulated storefront dispensaries, but the federal government
appears to have done nothing to act on the concerns.

Documents obtained by The Globe and Mail through the Access to
Information Act show test results from a Health Canada-accredited lab
were sent to the government last fall, and to Dr. Philpott's office a
few months later, revealed cannabis from several Vancouver
dispensaries contained pesticides and fungicides "not approved for any
human use."

The names of the dispensaries are redacted from the documents, but the
results say high levels of banned chemicals - such as the pesticide
carbamate, which is not permitted for use on cannabis, and dodemorph,
a fungicide used on roses that is not approved for human consumption -
were in 13 of the 22 the samples tested.

While the total number of dispensaries was also redacted, it appears
the samples were obtained from about a dozen Vancouver locations. In
July, The Globe published the results of independent tests on cannabis
bought from nine Toronto dispensaries that showed potentially
dangerous contaminants in one-third of the samples. The investigation
detailed a lack of oversight by Ottawa, which has created a regulatory
vacuum as the government works on its plans to legalize the drug. As a
result, hundreds of unregulated dispensaries have opened, many looking
to make a fast buck, and some pocketing more than $20,000 a day in
sales.

Dr. Philpott has not responded to several interview requests from The
Globe. However, less than two weeks after the investigation was
published in the summer, the federal government rewrote the laws on
testing, giving Canadians access to federal labs to test cannabis for
potency and contaminants. While recreational users are not likely to
seek testing, Canadians who require the drug as medication, including
severely epileptic children, elderly patients and those with
compromised immune systems, can now legally have it screened for
harmful chemicals, bacteria and mould.

The new documents indicate Health Canada knew about problems with
unregulated cannabis sales long before the government agreed to alter
the rules on testing.

The lab report obtained by The Globe was sent in October, 2015, to
Eric Costen, who headed Health Canada's office of medical cannabis.
The same results were sent in January to Genevieve Hinse, chief of
staff to Dr. Philpott.

There is no evidence to suggest the government took any meaningful
action on the information. Health Canada continued to block patients
from getting the same access to laboratories that pharmaceutical
companies have to test products to ensure that they are safe. Health
Canada has said it considers dispensaries illegal, but has done
nothing to halt their operations. Some patients say they can get
certain products such as specialized extracts only from those stores.

Health Canada has not explained why it did not act on the data,
submitted by a third party, which a source said is a federally
licensed producer of medical marijuana. Such licensed producers oppose
allowing the dispensaries to sell the product before legalization. Dr.
Philpott's spokesman did not respond to questions on the matter.

The Vancouver test results are particularly concerning given the
evidence of unauthorized pesticides in the drug's production, a
problem that has become a major concern in at least three U.S.
jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized for recreational and
medical use.

According to the documents, the Vancouver analysis was conducted at MB
Labs Ltd. on Vancouver Island in September, 2015. MB Labs is an
accredited Health Canada laboratory capable of testing cannabis for
contaminants and potency, and often conducts such tests for federally
licensed producers.

The 22 samples screened include 14 strains of dried cannabis, and
eight concentrates, which are oil extracts. Of those, nine of the 14
dried cannabis samples failed Health Canada safety standards for
medical marijuana. Six contained amounts of carbamate that exceeded
even the levels allowed for plants for which the pesticide is
approved. Four contained high levels of potentially harmful fecal
bacteria, which can be particularly problematic for the elderly and
people with compromised immune systems. One sample also contained
levels of yeast and mould, which can cause serious lung ailments, that
exceeded Health Canada safety limits.

According to the documents, only one of the eight concentrates tested
would have passed Health Canada standards for contaminants. Seven
contained excessive levels of carbamate, while three also contained
dodemorph, which is typically restricted to ornamental plants and
banned for human consumption.

The presence of these contaminants in concentrates is particularly
problematic because oils are sometimes a preferred way to administer
the drug in some patients, such as children and the elderly.

The evidence of pesticides is similar to problems in Colorado,
Washington and Oregon over the past few years. After those
jurisdictions legalized cannabis, unexpectedly high levels of
pesticides not approved for use on the plant began showing up in
products. The government and industry worked together to write new
enforcement rules and safety regulations.

The tests of pot from Toronto dispensaries, conducted by The Globe at
an accredited lab before the laws on testing were changed, did not
find any pesticides, but the Health Canada testing regime does not
screen for some of the most dangerous pesticides found in the United
States.

Three of the samples contained excessive amounts of some bacteria that
can be harmful to humans. Based on federal rules, those samples would
have to be recalled and destroyed. The Health Minister's office has
not responded to questions on the matter.
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MAP posted-by: Matt