Full of Weeds: The Concerning Landscape

of Unsafe Cannabis Products

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Buying weed in Delaware today is as easy as walking into your local gas station to buy a soda. However, these products are potentially dangerous and certainly illegal as the state’s adult-use program is not yet operational.

 

Our Delaware and the National Clinical Director Consortium conducted a “Secret Shopper” program ahead of the back-to-school rush at two dozen stores around Dover, Smyrna and Wilmington. The team found countless cannabis products being pulled right out of jars and placed into bags without labels or repackaged right in front of our shoppers. Most locations are openly selling weed on their checkout counters and only two locations asked for an ID, and one even offered other drugs.

 

Our Delaware has the test results for 30 products ranging from flower to edibles to vapes and found many of the labeled products were not what they claimed to be. Over 80% of the product samples are weed, and thus, are not farm bill compliant. 

 

Many products contain harmful contaminants, inaccurate dosing, and unknown synthetic cannabinoids, with 23% of the samples including harmful contaminants and 63.3% containing synthetic converted cannabinoids. Only 19 products have labels, with 100% of them having label claim issues ranging from inaccurate dosing or potency, not listing the actual cannabinoids contained in the product, or inaccurately claiming the product was under 0.3% THC. Many of the products lack warning statements of any kind.

 

Concerningly, the team also found edibles designed to look like candy and snacks, making those products nearly indistinguishable to kids looking for a yummy treat.

 

Laura Barrett, MBA BSN RN of the National Clinical Director Consortium is one of many concerned about the growing availability of unsafe and unregulated cannabis products for sale in Delaware. 

 

“The rapid spread of these grey products puts the health and safety of Delaware residents at risk,” said Nurse Laura. “Cannabis products sold to adults must be trusted and tested to protect our communities and our children, especially as safe, regulated cannabis products are essential for treating medical cannabis patients and in an adult-use market.” 

 

While it is now legal in Delaware for those aged 21 and older to purchase and consume cannabis, there are currently no dispensaries that are legally permitted to sell adult-use cannabis products.