IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN
The recent health movement and the mindset fueling it have changed the way we eat and think about our food and our food chain. Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free & pesticide-free are trends that affect our eating habits as well as our health & wellbeing.
Similarly within the cannabis sector, many producers are working toward creating healthier products. Some are acting upon their desire to produce healthier products in-line with their brand promise. Others see a consumer demand for healthier products and are responding to it; and some continue to use approved pesticides according to state rules & regulations.
Examples of recent “health-conscious” trends in the cannabis sector - some now being called out on packaging as product benefits and/or attributes include the move away from using food grade Polyethylene glycol (PEG) to cut cannabis oil for vaporizing – and toward using natural hemp and/or coconut oil instead; and the move away from traditional flavors such as cherry, watermelon, etc. which appeal to children – and toward reintroducing natural terpenes like myrcene, limonene, pinene, etc.
“Today, the honor system is being used in the pseudo-regulated market. Randomized pesticide testing should be added to the current testing portfolio; and cannabis companies should be fully transparent about what ingredients and additives they use in their products. The more transparent, the better.”
- Tobias Coughlin-Brogue, The Stranger
Accordingly, the concept of growing for production while reducing and eliminating pesticide use through beneficial insects & nematodes, microbial products, pest management tools like traps & lures, just to name a few are on the rise. Other examples of the move toward “healthier” cannabis products include a number of “organic certifications”. Legally, cannabis cannot be called “organic” — no matter how environmentally friendly the cultivation practices used to grow it — because the term is federally regulated and the USDA does not recognize cannabis as a legitimate agricultural crop. Further, the EPA won’t test pesticides used on cannabis while it’s considered a schedule 1 drug at the Federal level.
"A lot of research goes into pesticide allowance and pesticide labeling for agricultural crops, but because cannabis is federally illegal, and is smoked, not ingested, there is little comparable research relating to human health effects."
- Jessica Corcorran, Sound Horticulture
As crop supply chains lengthen, it becomes increasingly more difficult for consumers to "know their grower". Without a connection to the producer, how does a consumer know which products are grown using chemical fertilizers and/or toxic pesticides?
Clean Green™ and Certified Kind™ – both organic cannabis certifications – are influenced by global organic standards. They draw upon the principles of organic production articulated by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), and are similar to the organic regulations of the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Mexico. Much like the USDA National Organic Program for traditional agricultural products, the whole life cycle of the plant is considered, from seed selection to harvesting and processing, as well as soil, nutrients, pesticide use, mold treatment and dust control.
Inhalation of Pesticide Residues
More broadly, some see complications related to pesticides as normal for a young industry. Very little peer-reviewed research has been published on the health and safety risks associated with pesticides on dried cannabis. However, tests that have been performed show cause for significant consumer concern, particularly with medical patients or those with elevated risk factors.
Authors of the Journal of Toxicology study note that, “High pesticide exposure through cannabis smoking is a significant possibility, which may lead to further health complications in cannabis users.” Other concerns surround the concentrated higher levels of pesticides in extracted oils. Still, a concern that pesticides could upset the balance between the industry and the federal government lingers.
“We have an incubated environment we’re allowed to operate in right now. If we open up opportunities for people to use dangerous things on plants, it becomes an embarrassment and we invite more scrutiny. It would be a huge step backward.”
- Derek Peterson, CEO, Terra Tech
The PICOL database lists all the pesticides that are allowed on cannabis in Washington State is freely available on the Washington State University website
“There has been no actual testing to verify that the final cannabis consumable does not contain any pesticide residue. In fact until recently there were no labs able to perform cannabis pesticide testing, which of course kept the public unaware that our cannabis contains pesticides.”
- Muraco Kyashna-tocha, Cannabis Safety Activist
Due to the Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) proposed rules for “compliant” products, including requirements for pesticide residue testing, WA State’s labs have been gearing up to offer such services in order to meet the state’s July 1, 2016 deadline for retailers to begin offering compliant products to medical patients.
Some pesticide products are systemic; meaning a certain degree of the chemicals will remain with the plant throughout its life and will exist in clone cuttings of these plants too. Even though this is the case, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) does not make any allowances for this, citing any pesticide presence more than 0% as being contaminated.
The EPA has reported almost one billion pounds of pesticide used annually for agricultural use. Unlike our food products though, cannabis is usually inhaled, not consumed and broken down by our digestive system.
Since cannabis is typically inhaled, WA lawmakers want to ensure that there are no serious impact on the lungs and respiratory system. That said, as long as cannabis is considered & classified as a Schedule 1 Drug, there will be limited data regarding pesticides and their effects on cannabis consumers.
Breakdown of Pesticide Product Categories
Federally Registered Pesticides:
Unless determined to be minimum risk and exempt from registration, pesticides, (including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, antimicrobial products, and bio-pesticides) must undergo EPA’s formal registration process, which includes a scientific assessment of the active ingredient that is included in pesticide products.
Organic Pesticides:
Pesticides allowed for use in organic production must be evaluated by the National Organic Standards Board for their essentiality, impacts to human and environment health, and compatibility with organic practices. In general, natural pesticides are allowed unless specifically prohibited and synthetic pesticides are prohibited unless specifically recommended by the NOSB.
List 25(b) – Federally Exempt Minimum Risk Pesticides:
Minimum risk pesticides under section 25(b) of FIFRA are not required to undergo the federal registration process if their ingredients are “demonstrably conduct safety testing.
Pesticides Exempt from a Tolerance:
EPA determines certain pesticides are exempt from a tolerance on a food crop-based on toxicity and exposure data specific to the pesticides’ use pattern. Not all 25(b) pesticides are exempt from a tolerance.
References:
Tobias Coughlin-Brogue “Washington State Fines Two Marijuana Growers For Using Prohibited Pesticides.” The Stranger. 11 Feb. 2016.
