Concern over CBD conversion oil dominates public CRA meeting

The state Cannabis Regulatory Agency held its quarterly public meeting last week. This session was particularly rowdy — many attendees were visibly upset about the proof, in the form of third-party testing, that numerous vape cartridges and edibles pulled off dispensary shelves contained CBD conversion oil and banned pesticides.

Converting non-psychoactive CBD to psychoactive THC is problematic. For one, the lack of oversight due to hemp’s federal legality means CBD-derived THC products don’t have to be tested at a state-licensed facility for potency or contaminants like fungus, heavy metals and pesticides. The process of isolating THC from CBD is also complex, and there’s a lack of research on the potential long-term health effects for consumers if unpredicted chemical reactions take place.

CRA executive director Brian Hanna addressed attendees’ concerns at the meeting, admitting, “Some marijuana operators in Michigan have taken it upon themselves to convert CBD to THC and have mixed this converted product in with naturally occurring THC to increase their profit margins.”

He said the agency has proposed rules “prohibiting the conversion of a cannabinoid into a different cannabinoid using a chemical reaction.” If approved, Michigan licensees will be prevented from converting CBD to THC and from selling or transferring such material. In addition, all existing CBD conversion oil will be required to be disposed of.

“There is currently no scientific evidence that this process is safe; there is also no scientific consensus that it is harmful — if there were, we would have been all over this immediately with product recalls,” Hanna said.

He concluded by reiterating the agency’s resolve to address this issue, pointing to recent enforcement actions against Exclusive Brands, Sky Labs and other operators.

“The CRA continues to advocate at the state and federal levels to address loopholes that allow ‘hemp-derived products’ to flood the market here in Michigan,” Hanna said. “As our recent publicized enforcement actions have proven, we are committed to enforcing the statutes, rules and regulations that make Michigan the best marijuana market in the country.”

So, what does this mean for consumers looking for clean weed? It’s hard to say how many products on the market contain CBD conversion oil. However, one only needs to look at recent cannabis sales statistics in the state to understand the potential scope. In August, legal retailers sold more than $294 million worth of products, the state’s highest-grossing month ever. Many industry insiders have told me they’re suspicious that these uber-high sales numbers are being skewed by widespread regulatory subversion in the industry, like the use of CBD conversion oil or so-called “ghost tags” to obscure the location and amounts of products operators are producing.

The CRA meeting’s public comment period ended with Robin Schneider, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, urging industry members and consumers to help the CRA solve the conversion oil issue by reaching out to state legislators and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to gain their support for a statewide ban on intoxicating hemp products. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently proposed similar regulations.

CBD conversion oil will soon be illegal in the regulated cannabis industry, but as we’ve already seen, some operators are hell-bent on non-compliance. It’s important that we, the consumers, remain vigilant any time we buy a vape cartridge or edible product. Ask questions at the store, stay informed on cannabis news and remember: Good weed ain’t cheap, and cheap weed ain’t good!