Medical Cannabis Patient Advisory
OCP received a complaint in late August from two patients experiencing adverse health reactions from cannabis concentrate purchased from Ganja World, a medical cannabis delivery service in central Maine. OCP conducted an investigation that included testing the concentrate alleged to have caused the adverse reaction. Those test results showed unsafe levels of butane, a residual solvent, in the strain “Deep Sea.” OCP took an additional sample of that strain from Ganja World’s operations facility as part of its investigation. Those test results also showed unsafe levels of butane.
Inhaling cannabis containing unsafe levels of butane may cause respiratory irritation with symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, headache, hoarseness, and/or nose and throat pain. Please see below for more information on the toxicity and health impacts of butane as detected in the concentrate sold by Ganja World. Any patient who has ingested this product and is experiencing symptoms or adverse reactions should contact a healthcare provider immediately or dial 911 if there is a medical emergency.
Additional information related to this advisory is available here.
Concentration, Toxicity, and Health Impacts of Cannabis Contaminants
Below please find a list of contaminants (analytes) that Ganja World’s concentrate samples would have failed testing for per the Adult Use Cannabis Program testing standards.
Strain |
Analyte |
Concentration (ppm) |
Adult Use Pass/Fail Threshold (ppm) |
Times (x) the Adult Use Pass/Fail Threshold (ppm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Deep Sea (Sample 1) |
Butane |
7,970 |
5,000 |
1.6x |
Deep Sea (Sample 2) |
Butane |
10,500 |
5,000 |
2.1x |
Below please find information about the toxicity and health impacts of each contaminant (analyte) listed above. Any patient who has ingested these products and is experiencing symptoms or adverse reactions should contact a healthcare provider immediately or dial 911 if there is a medical emergency.
Butane (Residual Solvent): May cause respiratory irritation. Signs/symptoms may include cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, headache, hoarseness, and nose and throat pain.