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Posted
July 07, 2023

Inconsistent state safety regulations for cannabis could pose risk

Amid the growing acceptance and legalization of cannabis use across the country, experts warn that the state-by-state patchwork of safety regulations could lead to potential risks (Source: “As more states legalize pot, their uneven safety rules can pose a risk,” Stateline, July 7).

Under federal law, marijuana remains illegal, so individual states are left to determine their own regulations and safety standards.

Inconsistent state cannabis regulations could have potentially dire implications for consumer health, according to a 2022 study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal. The study found that state-level regulatory disparities pose an increased risk of exposure to contaminants in cannabis (such as pesticides or other heavy metals) for immunocompromised people who could contract potentially fatal infections, while also causing confusion among cannabis growers, manufacturers and testing laboratories.