California faces scrutiny over its management of pesticide contamination in cannabis products. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors proposed transferring cannabis pesticide regulation from the Department of Cannabis Control to the Department of Pesticide Regulation. They also called for stricter screening of chemicals in cannabis products and a shift in lab accreditation responsibilities. This push follows investigations showcasing serious pesticide contamination, particularly in vape products. Local officials argue current oversight has failed the public, while the Department of Cannabis Control defended its authority and criticized the county's lack of engagement.
"I can't think of a much worse way to consume pesticides than to smoke them," Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig said in urging passage of the resolution.
Protection of the public is the top legal mandate of the Department of Cannabis Control in its oversight of the state's $5-billion regulated cannabis market. But seven years into legalization, Koenig said, the state 'has clearly failed.'
The resolution drew criticism from the Department of Cannabis Control, whose director immediately called county lobbyists, stating the resolution was 'passed without meaningful engagement with the DCC.'
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