Almost 20% of all legal marijuana products submitted for testing to the California government since July 1 have been rejected. The testing has been especially tough on cannabis-infused cookies, candies and tinctures.
Often, the products are frequently strong enough, according to data released Tuesday by the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control.
Sixty-five percent of all items were rejected for inaccurate label claims, such as the level of THC — the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis — that is present in the product. A smaller number of products were rejected for having unacceptably high amounts of pesticide, and a few were rejected for having impurities such as bacteria and mold.
California law requires that label claims for the amount of THC in a product must be within 10 percent of the actual amount. Actual marijuana buds passed this test 90% of the time, suggesting a problem with manufactured edible pot products like chocolates and brownies.
Marijuana manufacturers have protested that the testing process is slow, unreliable and expensive. California Cannabis Manufacturers Association has advocated for changes that would allow companies to challenge lab results.