It may even cause some dispensaries shut down. They’ll lose out on several weeks worth of sales .”
By Heather Harrison of the Mississippi Free Press
Mamie Henry, a lab spokesperson, said that after an anonymous call claimed that Rapid Analytics cannabis lab did not follow the correct procedure for pesticides the Mississippi State Department of Health placed a hold on all products tested at the Natchez facility.
Henry, who spoke to the Mississippi Free Press Thursday, said that the anonymous call had shut down the entire industry, largely because 70 percent of our testing is for the state.
Rapid Analytics cannot test cannabis for dispensaries until MSDH gives further instructions.
The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program has notified dispensaries of products that cannot be sold during the retesting and hold. The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program has not asked any dispensaries to close, and the products on hold aren’t all of them.
Henry explained that on Wednesday, MSDH sent an email to Rapid Analytics informing them of the anonymous tip. The two groups then had a “Zoom emergency meeting” to go over the lab’s testing procedures and reports for the last couple of months.
Rapid Analytics in Jackson and Steep Hill Mississippi, both located in Mississippi, are two of the state’s medical cannabis testing laboratories. Steephill has determined that all cannabis tested by the lab is safe for patients.
Before they can sell medical cannabis to dispensaries, cultivators must send their product to one of the labs for testing. Hardy Case, a consultant, said that some cultivators, such as 74 Suns, in Canton Mississippi, choose to send products to both labs for testing. Hardy Case said that all of 74 Suns’s medical cannabis products are still fit for sale and will be available in dispensaries since Steephill approved them.
Case, speaking to the Mississippi Free Press, said that many dispensaries have products in their stock that have been tested and approved, but they are unable to sell them because of an administrative hold. “It is just sitting there even though the product could be perfect.”
Henry assured patients, growers and dispensary owners, that the lab was “dealing it very, very quickly” and “very professional to ensure that the State opens up as soon as possible.” Rapid Analytics retested all cannabis samples even though MSDH did not require them do additional analysis, she said.
Henry stated that he did not know who made the anonymous call.
‘Nightmare Scenario’
Case explained that getting into the Mississippi medical marijuana industry can be an expensive and difficult process. Having issues with one of the two state testing labs could prove detrimental to small dispensaries and patients.
He said, “We have had to overcome so many obstacles as a state as well as as an industry in Mississippi. It’s really disappointing that what happened with Rapid Analytics was not handled immediately and corrected so that the patients would not be basically hit with a large shortage.”
MSDH will provide guidance to dispensaries and growers on how to retest medical cannabis products produced by Rapid Analytics or to discard them. Henry confirmed that the lab had sent MSDH verification of its protocol.
She said, “We would all like to see it corrected by tomorrow but unfortunately it is now out of our control,” on Thursday. “But we’ve provided the state with everything they need to prove our actions are correct.”
Case acknowledged that product recalls or delays are never ideal, but he said that the claims of improper protocol could not have been made at a more inconvenient time. Henry said that the complaint was “strategically” timed with Christmas falling on Monday.
Case warned that patients trying to stock up cannabis for the holidays may have difficulty finding it at local dispensaries due to the recall.
He said that if dispensaries are few, they will be shut down. This will force people to drive more, especially if they live in rural areas.
Case stated that some dispensaries and cultivators may suffer permanent harm as a result of the product holding.
He said, “I spoke to one of my workers this morning. He went to a local dispensary and they did not have any product,” on Thursday. It may even cause some dispensaries shut down. They’ll lose several weeks worth of sales.
Case moderates the We Are the 74 Facebook Page. This group is where medical cannabis patients and supporters, investors, dispensary operators, cultivators, and employees of testing laboratories share information on the program. Owners and cultivators of dispensaries and cultivation facilities have posted their opening hours and whether they’re open.
The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program released a Statement on the 21st of December informing patients about the medical cannabis product holding.
It says that “to protect the health and security of medical cannabis patients, a hold has been put on a number of products” until they can be retested to ensure that the products are in compliance with regulatory standards. The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program has taken swift action and is retesting as soon as possible to remedy the situation.
Heather Harrison is a journalist for the Mississippi Free Press where this article originally appeared. Read the article at https://mississippifreepress.org.
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