Oregon cannabis products recalled over a pathogenic mold will soon be approved for sale.
Last month, a court suspended state restrictions on four strains of the fungus Aspergillus in marijuana. The cannabis industry had argued that the mold was too common to avoid.
The decision left over 2,000 pounds and 60,000 pre-rolls of recalled cannabis in limbo, as the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission awaited further guidance from the Oregon Health Authority.
In March, the state began requiring tests for strains of the fungus Aspergillus, and recalling cannabis if it tested positive. The Oregon Court of Appeals suspended those restrictions in late August.
Budding/Unsplash
On Sept. 20, the OLCC announced it would begin clearing those recalled products for sale.
“OLCC is working to coordinate the release of any such items that have been on hold in [the state’s Cannabis Tracking System],” the agency wrote in a press release.
Mike Getlin, the Board Chair for the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon, celebrated the news but said the wait has been frustrating.
“This should have been done within a matter of days, if not, frankly, hours of the judge’s ruling,” Getlin said. “There are potentially businesses failing even though the court has ordered that this impediment be lifted.”
The suspension of the state’s restrictions will expire in February, giving the Oregon Court of Appeals time to review arguments.
Aspergillus spores can cause fungal infections in the immunocompromised, but no cases in Oregon have been linked to cannabis.
