Most cannabis samples from illegal retailers in B.C. study were not fit for sale
A new analysis of contamination in cannabis seized from illegal retailers in Metro Vancouver has authorities encouraging consumers to switch to the legal cannabis market.
B.C. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth shared some of the study's findings at a news conference Wednesday.
In 20 samples of dried cannabis flower sent for analysis, 24 distinct pesticides were found, with nearly every sample having evidence of at least one potentially harmful product, Farnworth said.
The study also found unacceptable levels of bacteria, fungi and heavy metals in many of the samples, he added.
The public safety minister said the findings lead to a simple conclusion: Legal cannabis, which is regulated and tested by Health Canada, is safer.
"Don't buy illicit cannabis, because you don't know what's in it and it may be contaminated," Farnworth said. "If you choose to use cannabis, buy it legal."
The study's full findings can be found on the website of the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health, which conducted the analysis on samples provided by the B.C. Cannabis Secretariat.
According to the centre, only three of the 20 samples would have met health standards for sale on the legal market without further analysis. Nine of the samples failed to meet legal standards outright, while the remaining eight would have required further investigation to determine their suitability for sale through the legal system.
The centre describes the analysis as a "pilot study," and notes several limitations on the findings.
"This small sub-sample is not representative of all illicit cannabis in Metro Vancouver," the centre's summary notes. "Because the samples were from cannabis seized from illicit store fronts, we do not know the provenance of the material. The 20 samples may have been produced by 20 different growers, or one. They may have been grown within Metro Vancouver or may have been sourced from elsewhere."
For Farnworth, that's part of the point.
"When you buy from an illicit storefront or an online seller, you don't know where it's coming from or whether it's clean and fit for human consumption," he said. "In contrast, when you buy from a licensed seller, you can trust the label on the product."
Farnworth said a total of 160 illegal cannabis retailers have either been shut down or closed voluntarily in B.C. since legalization, and added that the province is working on further enforcement against the illicit market.
With a total of 370 legal cannabis retailers now operating around British Columbia, the idea that the legal market is inconvenient should no longer be an excuse for purchasing cannabis illegally, Farnworth said.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the transition to a legal cannabis industry has been happening slowly, something he attributed, in part, to consumers' entrenched buying habits.
"It's been legal now in this province for just over two and a half years," Farnworth said. "In the state of Colorado, very similar to British Columbia in many ways, it took four years for them to get from a 100 per cent illegal market to a 70 per cent legal market, and we are on that same path."
B.C. retailers sold about $20 million worth of legal cannabis in March 2020, and sold more than double that amount - $43 million - in March of this year, according to Farnworth.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.