Michigan Judge Blocks Part of Recall Linked to Viridis Laboratories

A Michigan judge has lifted part of last month’s massive recall of products tested by Viridis Laboratories, which affected about 60% to 70% of the on-shelf cannabis products in the state, the Detroit News reports. The decision by Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray came in the lawsuit by Viridis against the state. Murray rules that a segment of the recall was “in all likelihood based upon an arbitrary decision.”

In the opinion, Murray said that regulators relied on retesting products tested at Viridis’ Lansing lab but not Viridis North, which is located in Bay City. The decision blocks the part of the recall that pertains to Viridis North. Viridis said the decision blocks about half of Michigan’s recall.

“Yet, the recall bulletin expressly states in the first sentence that the MRA ‘has identified inaccurate and/or unreliable results of products tested by safety compliance facilities Viridis North, LLC and Viridis Laboratories, LLC. As to Viridis North, that does not appear to be accurate, as everyone has agreed that no samples from Veridis (sic) North were included in the random samples re-tested prior to the recall, and which in part led to the recall.” — Murray, in the December 3 opinion, via the News

Kevin Blair, an attorney with Honigman representing Viridis, said that while the company maintains “the entire recall was completely without merit” they “applaud the Court for at least reversing the [Marijuana Regulatory Agency]’s faulty decision to recall products tested at Viridis Bay City.”

“This ill-advised recall has caused irreparable harm not only to Viridis but to growers, retailers, and consumers throughout the state,” Blair said in the report.

Viridis says the recall affected about 64,000 pounds of flower worth about $226 million.