Voluntary Recall of Certain Marijuana Products Due To Possible Aspergillus Contamination

Several Arizona marijuana establishments are voluntarily recalling specific products due to possible contamination with aspergillus, a fungus that can cause allergic reactions or infection, usually in people already sick with something else, and salmonella, a bacterium where in the event of infection can cause diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.

The various products being voluntarily recalled are Caps Frozen Lemon, Twisted Lemonz, Cherry Punch, and Ghost Train Haze. See below for tables with batch numbers for each product.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is advising purchasers to dispose of the products described in the table below, which were found in laboratory tests to be positive for Aspergillus and/or Salmonella.

To date, no illnesses have been reported. This announcement is being made out of an abundance of caution. Patients who have purchased potentially contaminated products should not ingest, inhale, or otherwise consume them and should dispose of them. If you have already consumed any of the products and have any of the symptoms described below, please contact your healthcare provider or seek care in the event of an emergency.

ADHS Laboratory auditors discovered that potential false negatives results for contaminants were reported by a licensed marijuana laboratory.

Once ADHS discovered the potential contamination, they contacted the facility that produced the products. The licensee took immediate action to work with all distribution and retail partners to remove any potentially impacted products from store shelves.

Testing requirements for marijuana products can be reviewed on Table 3.1 for each 9 A.A.C. 18 Adult-Use Marijuana Program and 9 A.A.C. 17 Medical Marijuana Program.

Consumers may contact the dispensary or establishment where they purchased the products listed below if they have any questions.

Symptoms

Aspergillus: Aspergillus can cause allergic reactions or infection, usually in people already sick with something else. Symptoms range from asthma or cold-like symptoms to fever and chest pain, among many others. A full list of symptoms can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website.

Salmonella: Symptoms from ingesting salmonella usually start within six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. Ingestion can happen inadvertently after handling Salmonella-contaminated products. Symptoms include:

• Diarrhea (that can be bloody)
• Fever
• Stomach cramps
• Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, or a headache.

Products