Nova Analytic Labs Finds Dangerous Pesticides in Maine’s Legal Cannabis

September 19, 2023 (Portland, Maine) – Nova Analytic Labs, the most trusted next-gen testing and consulting partner of the cannabis and hemp sectors, announced results of a new legal cannabis testing data analysis in the State of Maine, quantifying an average pesticide failure rate in legal medical and adult-use cannabis, as well as which pesticides were found most in testing samples. The results found dangerous levels of pesticides, including Myclobutanil, which can produce life-threatening fumes such as cyanide and carbon monoxide, posing serious public health concerns.

In Nova’s analysis of ~3,200 adult-use compliance samples and ~1,400 voluntary/medical samples between March 2022 and June 2023, a failure rate of 3.82% in adult-use samples and a staggering 20.73% failure rate in voluntary/medical samples was observed. The top five pesticide failures for these voluntary/medical samples were:

• Myclobutanil (Eagle 20): Can cause serious eye irritation and is suspected of causing cancer and damaging fertility or the unborn child; may cause damage to organs, especially the liver, through prolonged or repeated exposure if swallowed. When you heat myclobutanil to combustion, the pesticide decomposes to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes, including carbon monoxide and cyanide.
  Piperonyl butoxide: Known to cause mild itching, burning or stinging; mild skin rash, numbness or tingly feeling.
• Bifenthrin: Humans exposed to bifenthrin report mild effects such as skin tingling or eye irritation. In studies conducted on lab animals, exposure to high levels was shown to affect the nervous system, causing tremors.
• Bifenazate: Low acute toxicity by all routes of exposure (Category IV) with no evidence of dermal sensitization potential. It is non-irritating to skin and minimally irritating to eyes.
• Imidacloprid: High oral exposures may lead to lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, muscle weakness and ataxia, all indicative of imidacloprid’s action on nicotinic receptors. Other signs of exposure at high doses are uncoordinated gait, tremors and reduced activity.

As of January 2023, all adult-use cannabis in Maine must pass mandatory safety testing before it is manufactured into a cannabis product or transferred to a dispensary for sale to consumers. Any adult-use cannabis or product that fails pesticide testing must, by law, be destroyed, thereby preventing unsafe products from entering the market. However, the State does not require medical cannabis to be tested for any contaminants, including pesticides. This means that if voluntarily tested or medical cannabis fails the testing standards under adult-use program rules, it can still be sold to a patient. Out of the ~3,200 adult-use cannabis samples required under Maine law to be tested, only a 3.82% failure rate was documented – the top five pesticide failures for adult use samples were piperonyl butoxide, bifenthrin, spinosad, imidacloprid and pyrethrins.

Nova CEO and co-founder Christopher Altomare commented, “Our results show a ~17% failure rate discrepancy between the state-required adult-use samples and the voluntary/medical samples submitted for pesticide testing. Most likely, the discrepancy is even higher, given that operators voluntarily testing their products are good actors taking precautions to protect consumers. If someone knowingly has pesticide contamination, they may not test. Our findings highlight that testing the final product is the only way to ensure safety – even if no pesticide is purposefully applied by an operator, pesticides in the environment often contaminate harvests at harmful levels (this is commonly due to raw material input). Looking at the top failures, the health risks are clear, and with ~106,000 cardholding medical patients, the high failure rate demonstrates a major public health concern. If you are purchasing cannabis outside of the adult-use program, there’s a chance you’re consuming harmful pesticides. The State does not track failures in medical cannabis and it is unclear where this failed product ends up in the industry.”

Nova offers a free pesticide test for patients currently using untested medical products (limited to one test per person, per promotional period). A two gram minimum of sample product is required. For more information, visit https://testnovalabs.com/contact/.

Nova was the first cannabis testing lab to be fully certified for testing the list of mandatory pesticides in the State of Maine. The company was the first to pass standards set by the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the first to be accredited by ISO 17025 for this complicated analysis.

About Nova Analytic Labs

Nova Analytic Labs is the most trusted next-gen testing and consulting partner of the cannabis and hemp sectors. Our accredited laboratories and team of scientists, engineers and innovators developed user-friendly platforms and proven advanced technologies that deliver comprehensive, accurate, real-time results that operators can trust. Not just a fee-for-service testing lab, Nova stays the course with its partners, helping identify problems, mitigate risk, optimize processes and contribute to their overall success. As we enter a new era of cannabis, our testing solutions are creating a better, safer future.