California Cannabis Testing Reveals Overlooked Health Risks in Legal and Illicit Markets

A new investigation highlights pesticide contamination, synthetic THC, and other hazards in both regulated and unregulated cannabis products.

An analysis found pesticide contamination rates in California's legal cannabis market are comparable to those in the illicit market, challenging claims of superior safety in regulated products.
Synthetic THC compounds, such as Delta-8, were detected in products from both legal and illegal sellers, despite being banned in California's regulated market and carrying unknown health risks.
Vitamin E acetate, linked to severe lung injuries and deaths in the 2019 vaping crisis, was found in unregulated vape products, but California does not currently screen for it in legal items.
Some legal cannabis products contained unscreened pesticides like pymetrozine, a carcinogenic insecticide absent from unregulated products, raising concerns about gaps in state testing protocols.
The investigation underscores the need for expanded testing measures, as Michigan regulators have validated tests for synthetic THC that California has yet to adopt.