The Mississippi State Department of Health is continuing a hiatus on a large number of medical cannabis products until retesting can be conducted following an administrative hold that was implemented on Thursday.
Mamie Henry, the owner of Misla LLC., confirmed to The Natchez Democrat that products tested at local bio lab Rapid Analytics were the subject of the hold issued by the MSDH. Rapid Analytics is one of just two labs approved to test cannabis products in the state.
According to Henry, an anonymous tip was allegedly sent to the health department regarding the use of pesticides and the presence of mycotoxins while product was being tested. State officials then sent an order for the lab to suspend operations indefinitely.
Dispensaries carrying cannabis tested by the Natchez-based lab are not able to sell products until they meet regulatory standards.
The specific circumstances leading to the hold remain under investigation by the MSDH, officials say. As of now, there have been no reports of illnesses related to the impacted products.
Retesting is being conducted in MSDH-approved licensed medical cannabis testing facilities with validated testing methods in place and is being prioritized based on the type/category of medical cannabis products, a release from the health department states.
For example, cannabis flower/bud will be tested first because it serves as the base for many of the products, followed by concentrates and infused products. As batches of products are cleared, they will be removed from the hold and placed back on the market.
“Through the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system, the agency can isolate the batch and lot numbers associated with this administrative hold and expedite the retesting,” Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program Director Laura Goodson said. “The tracking system is an invaluable tool to assist with regulatory compliance and overall product safety.”
Henry speculates that roughly 70 percent of Mississippi’s medical cannabis products are tested by Rapid Analytics. Henry expects the administrative hold to have a disastrous impact on medical cannabis dispensaries, specifically mom-and-pop ones, due to a limited supply being tested to bring to market.
Products tested at Steep Hill, the other state-approved cannabis testing lab, are considered safe for use by MSDH officials and can be sold at dispensaries.
Patients are encouraged to contact dispensaries to see what products are available.
