Pesticide-free weed options now available in California
There is a lot more scrutiny involved when buying marijuana from dispensaries than anything you buy on the street. But what if you want to take it a step further?
This summer, the Los Angeles Times reported that exotic pesticides such as chlorfenapyr were found in some batches of cannabis sold in licensed stores. If you're looking for additional protection against such chemicals, you can look for the “OCal” label, which is appearing on more and more products in stores.
For example, award-winning Oakland, California-based Jetty Extracts touts its “OCal” certification. Jetty and similar brands know they can make money and stand out in the market by going beyond the legal minimum and offering something super clean. Long live the free market.
Nate Ferguson, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Jetty Extracts, stated, “Jetty’s OCal certification is a testament to our ongoing efforts to develop the cleanest, most sustainable and innovative products on the market. We are committed to meeting the growing consumer demand for transparent cannabis products.”
Brands with OCal certifications include: Redwood Remedies in Northern California, NoTill Kings in Long Beach, California, and Coastal Sun Farm.
Here is the full list of the three dozen or so OCal-certified cannabis brands in California.
What does OCal mean?
Oh, California. We're so organic that when the federal government banned us from using the word “organic,” we invented our own “organic” label.
When you see the OCal label, you see that “comparable” cannabis laws are in place. California taxpayers voted to allow the government to implement a system where brands can pay neutral inspectors to visit their grow sites and hash labs. Pretty much every synthetic pesticide is banned under OCal.
“They are literally identical to the national organic standards. … The organic standards are strict. They are not easy to implement,” Caitlin Slay, certification services manager for inspection firm CCOF, explained in a video. “This is a really big deal. Many states have tried to enforce these standards. Nobody outside of California has been able to do it yet.”
This means no genetically modified organisms, no toxic chemicals, and farms must pay attention to water, soil and waste.
All those disgusting chemicals the LA Times finds in these batches? Banned under the OCal law and tested by independent companies.
“If necessary, we may conduct unannounced inspections,” CCOF’s Slay said in a video.
All those disgusting chemicals the LA Times finds in these batches? Banned under the OCal law and tested by independent companies.
Chlorfenapyr, bifenazate, clofentezine, paclobutrazol, spiromesifen, tebuconazole, fenvalerate, bifenthrin and chlordane? Banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned and banned.
Lab tests for legal marijuana regularly test for 66 pesticides. The OCal list includes nearly 200 of them. They mean it when they say “comparable to organic.”
Here is the list of pesticides banned under OCal.
How do brands get OCal certification?
Brands can turn to two neutral, licensed OCal certification companies: Envirocann and CCOF.
CCOF has been in existence for 50 years and certifies 4,000 members across the continent.
They are both located in Santa Cruz, California. Brands can expect to file a lot of paperwork and undergo inspection.
Jetty Extracts has brought this OCal energy to its new line of solventless (also called rosin) carts and dabs, as well as infused joints.
I'm confused – isn't all legal marijuana tested for pesticides?
There are different levels.
- Street weed is not tested for any pesticides. It's a gamble whether the guy will poison you. There is no OCal for unlicensed producers.
- Cannabis from pharmacies is tested for 66 pesticides in advance. This excludes many culprits, but is not completely safe.
- OCal certified weed is tested for nearly 200 pesticides and inspections are performed. It's pretty difficult to sneak anything nasty through.
“It’s more of a guarantee of clean cannabis at the end,” Slay explained.
Related
Contaminated vape pens are being sold in illegal California stores at 2 for 1
Is it harmful to smoke pesticides?
As far as we know, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never approved a pesticide for combustion and inhalation into lung tissue.
We also know that pesticides can cause health damage. The most common cause of injury is that of hobby gardeners spraying pesticides.
How do OCal brands grow weed without pesticides?
It is more time consuming and expensive.
They use an arsenal of tools to fight nature naturally, such as beneficial bacteria, predatory insects and physical barriers. Think ladybugs and praying mantises instead of petrochemicals.
One brand introduced bats and bat boxes to reduce the number of pests.
Related
Predators instead of pesticides: An introduction to chemical-free pest control
How else can I avoid smoking pesticides?
You can eat cannabis in food or apply it edibly to the skin, avoiding burning volatile chemicals. The gut or skin also bypasses delicate lung tissue to transport cannabinoids into the body.
You can also grow your own grass and choose not to spray it.
What happens next?
We will continue to add new brands to the OCal list and expand coverage to include more states with pesticide-free options.
Brands expect the OCal program to be rolled out in other states as well. Contact us with additional OCal brands and ask us your questions.
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