After hearing stories about how much of marijuana in vapes have been misleadingly derived from hemp, the Denver Gazette took it upon themselves to test 14 different cartridges and see how true the rumors were in Colorado.
While there is plenty of CBD in hemp, there isn’t much THC, but there is a process that can convert CBD into THC using solvents. This process, however, is banned in the state, and is detectable in a lab testing.
What they found was that 3 of the 14 samples had traces of this conversion. While it isn’t entirely conclusive, it’s enough to raise some eyebrows.
Creating THC from CBD is a way to bypass the highly regulated marijuana market and put something out that may be less safe at a lower price point.
A randomized testing program has been created in the state to check the work of labs, but it’s been slow to get up and running, so the Denver Gazette stepped in.
@propublicaIn an investigation by ProPublica and @denvergazette, reporters Evan Wyloge and Chris Osher bought vape products from dispensaries in Colorado and documented how some may have been made from chemically converted hemp instead of marijuana, a cheaper alternative that can carry potential health risks. Although Colorado was one of the first states to ban intoxicating hemp, new reporting found it may still be showing up in marijuana dispensaries there. The ingestion of toxic chemicals found in hemp-derived vapes can cause liver cancer, lung cancer, damage to the reproductive system and damage to the immune system. Watch Evan Wyloge break down how they tracked purchases and worked with an independent testing lab to find toxic chemical residues experts say are indicative of hemp-derived THC.
Read the original story at The Denver Gazette.
