The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission has alerted medical cannabis business owners and patients that the Maryland Department of Health is warning state consumers not to use vape products containing THC, the psychoactive ingredient in medical marijuana.
The warning from the health department came on the heels of a similar advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Twenty-six people have died across 21 states, and more than 1,200 cases of lung injury have been confirmed as of Oct. 8, all associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vape, products, according to the CDC. Will Tilburg, acting executive director of the commission, said that there have been no confirmed reports that any of Maryland's 84,000 certified medical cannabis patients have been impacted by vape-related injuries, and no reports of Maryland-made medical cannabis products causing injury. However, the commission wants to be proactive in addressing the ongoing concerns, he said, and is looking to further ensure the safety of vape products being sold to patients. The cannabis commission is putting out a request for proposals, calling on licensed medical cannabis testing labs to perform additional tests on certain products, beyond what is currently required, Tilburg said. The commission wants the labs to re-test some products that are actively on the market and being sold in Maryland dispensaries, as well as older samples of cannabis product batches that did not go to market.
