Michigan bans potentially harmful diluent in THC vaporizers
The State of Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency plans to ban a diluent used in e-cigarettes that could be harmful to users.
Starting Oct. 1, cannabis oil used in vape pens will have to be tested for MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) before the products hit shelves, according to a Thursday press release announcing the new requirement.
“From a public health and safety perspective, the potential for adverse effects from MCT oil underscores the importance of safety guidelines for product development,” said Brian Hanna, executive director of the CRA, in the press release.
The new requirement comes several months after the CEO of a cannabis testing company with a lab in Michigan raised concerns to the Detroit Free Press about the presence of potentially harmful substances such as MCT oil (which is derived from coconut oil) in cannabis products.
Josh Swider, co-founder and CEO of Infinite Chemical Analysis Lab, which has offices in Jackson and San Diego, said in March that more than 30 percent of marijuana vaporizers and edibles his lab recently tested contained MCT oil — a synthetically converted cannabis oil — or pesticides, some of which are not approved by the state.
In an interview following the announcement of the new testing requirement, Swider said he was “glad that regulators are taking action and prioritizing public safety above all else.”
The move follows actions by other states, such as Colorado, which banned MCT oil in marijuana products intended for inhalation after an outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses in 2019.
That same year, just before recreational marijuana sales began in Michigan, the state ordered a temporary ban on the sale of marijuana vaporizers, citing illnesses and deaths associated with vaping caused by vitamin E acetate, which was used to dilute THC and make it easier to fill vaporizer cartridges on the illegal market.
Although MCT oil is a food-safe ingredient similar to vitamin E acetate, scientists point out that inhaling these substances can cause inflammation of the lungs, which in turn can lead to conditions such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
Robin Schneider, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, said in the press release that several of the association’s retail members have already proactively removed products from their shelves and tested their inventory to ensure that the products of the brands they sell do not contain MCT oil.
“In the future, these tests will take place before retailers purchase goods from manufacturers. This will reduce the burden on retailers and ensure that the products they sell are safe,” she said.
More information about the products this CEO found: CEO of Michigan cannabis lab says hidden substances could contaminate vape pens and edibles
The CRA’s action does not address another issue raised by Swider: synthetically converted cannabis oil, or CBD oil, that is converted into THC oil in a process similar to that used to make a drug, he said.
When asked if conversion oil will be allowed in Michigan in April, David Harns, a spokesperson for the CRA, responded in an email, “We want to make clear in the new rules that converting CBD to THC is prohibited in Michigan.” The ban on conversion was included in proposed marijuana rule changes the state put forward nearly a year ago.
More on the recall of cannabis products: Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency recalls pre-rolled joints infused with Flavor Galaxy
Harns recently expressed his hope that the formal public consultation process on the new rules will begin this summer or early fall.
A government testing lab scheduled to open by the end of the year will help find even more “unknowns” in cannabis products.
“I applaud them for doing this and funding things like this, because the reality is that sometimes the things we don’t know can hurt us much more than the things we do know,” Swider said.
Contact Adrienne Roberts: [email protected].
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