Maine Issues Medical Cannabis Patient Advisory Over Contaminated Flower, Pre-Rolls

Maine cannabis officials on Wednesday issued a medical cannabis patient advisory against cannabis flower and pre-roll products produced by The B Maine’s cultivation facility in the town of Lebanon.

Officials with the state Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) said they received a complaint last month about the site. In their investigation, they tested the company’s “Florida Oranges” strain and found unsafe levels of microbial contaminants, including aerobic bacteria, coliforms, yeast, and mold. This led to additional testing, and officials found the same contaminants in another flower strain, “Skunk Hero,” and in four different 1-gram pre-roll products produced by the company, “Bad Apple,” “Cherry AK,” “Head Candy,” and “Tropsicles.”

OCP officials warned that the potential side effects from the contaminated products included sinus issues, headaches, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, or fatigue. They also said patients who consume the products and experience adverse effects should contact their healthcare provider immediately or call 911 in an emergency.

Meanwhile, the OCP recently announced the state is giving away 12,000 lockable storage bags through medical and adult-use cannabis retailers under its “Safe Storage for ME” initiative.