There is a litany of benefits to cannabis legalization. Cities and states report high taxes earned from these operations. The lesser-reported benefits include consumer safety nets to protect them from products that could cause unnecessary harm.
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Regulators require products to be tested by third-party labs, which is meant to ensure “dirty” weed does not make it to market. Product packaging laws also serve the consumer in many cases, informing them of things like pesticides, cannabinoid content, and potential allergens. Unfortunately, that does not stop all bad actors–or mistakes.
The latest cannabis recall is not from the usual suspects. The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) issued a notice that a certain edible had failed to report a key allergen in the “Contains:” section. Lissa’s Tasty Treats Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites did not state that they contained milk. However, butter was listed in the ingredients list.
There are people with severe dairy allergies who could have a life-threatening reaction to consuming butter, milk, and other lactose-laden products. While this risk may impact fewer people than widespread harmful pesticide use, it could cause notable harm. Those with this allergy will likely read the ingredients before consuming any food. This does not remove the lack of compliance, which triggered a statewide recall.
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The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Food and Safety Program discovered the error during a routine retailer inspection and informed the licensee Lissa’s Tasty Treats. The OLCC informed GreenState that Lissa’s created a sticker for packages that will bring them up to OLCC compliance. These units will not have to be destroyed, and can go back on shelves when appropriately stickered. This is because the recall issue is related to the packaging and not the product.
OLCC approves cannabis labels before they can be sold at retail stores. Currently, the Commission is investigating how the labels were streamlined and working with retailers to take the remaining cookie bites off of shelves. This recall covers a new aspect of consumer awareness after a landslide of pesticide woes multiple markets. Consumer safety is the goal, and while these errors can lead to costly setbacks for cannabis brands, they are part of what was promised with legalization.
