More than a quarter – 28% – of pre-rolls tested during a secret shopper program by Safe Leaf Society in New Jersey exceeded microbial limits set by state Cannabis Regulatory Commission. The failures which amounted to seven out of 25 pre-roll products, were spread across five separate cultivation licenses.
The study also found that all eight pre-rolls tested for potency had THC levels that varied wildly from what was on the label, with one testing a THC content of 13.27% despite being labeled 26.28% – nearly 50% less than advertised. Other pre-rolls tested ranged a difference between 17.13% to 42.61% of what was on the label.
In a statement, Andrea Raible and Michael Boone, co-founders of Safe Leaf, said the organization is not conducting the tests “to create controversy” but rather “to work with consumers, industry leaders, and regulators to make sure that we prioritize safety and integrity.”
“If we don’t hold cannabis to the same standards as food and medicine we will erode consumer trust. We must have rigorous testing that provides science backed information. These conditions are non-negotiable.” — Boone in a press release
The project also found other mislabeling issues including one product that was labeled as a terpene-infused pre-roll that was determined to be a distillate-infused pre-roll and another product that didn’t include a business ID on the label. COAs were also not readily available for any of the purchased products.
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