I attended the Workshop Session “Cannabis Contaminants: Current Status of Regulations and Implications to Public Health” on Thursday, March 23, during the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. As the title suggests, the session discussed contaminants found in cannabis and cannabis products (e.g., gummies) and the current regulations that are in place. The main categories of contaminants found in cannabis include pesticides, toxic elements (heavy metals), solvents, and mycotoxins/microbes. Cannabis is a state-regulated product, meaning that individual states mandate the use, sale, and testing of cannabis and cannabis products.
A common theme among the different presentations was that there is a need for consistent regulation of cannabis. Because states are dictating the regulation of cannabis, not only is regulation variable but testing for contaminated products is variable from state to state. When it comes to detecting contaminants in cannabis, Dr. Cindy Orser discussed how contaminants varied widely by state, and this makes sense as there is no standardization of cannabis. Every speaker called for better standardization and regulation of cannabis and cannabis products.
Another key takeaway from the session was from Dr. Maxwell Leung from Arizona State University. He discussed the implications cannabis use can have in a therapeutic setting, using Parkinson’s disease as an example. His lab interviewed a group of physicians treating patients with Parkinson’s disease and showed that a large majority of physicians (66%) were unaware of the risk of contaminants in cannabis. He highlighted the importance of education for physicians on the risk of cannabis for medical use.
I think this brings up an important point: The cannabis field is a fairly young field of study, and while we do need more research and better detection tools, we also need education and data transparency on the risk of contaminated cannabis for healthcare providers and the general public.
This blog reports on the Workshop Session titled “Cannabis Contaminants: Current Status of Regulations and Implications to Public Health” that was held during the 2023 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. An on-demand recording of this session is available for meeting registrants on the SOT Online Planner and SOT Event App.
This blog was prepared by an SOT Reporter and represents the views of the author. SOT Reporters are SOT members who volunteer to write about sessions and events in which they participate during the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. SOT does not propose or endorse any position by posting this article. If you are interested in participating in the SOT Reporter program in the future, please email SOT Headquarters.
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