Colorado’s Weed Plagued With Pesticides, Chemicals You Probably Can’t Pronounce
Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) issued recalls on Oct. 23 and Oct. 27 to dispensaries selling unsafe weed.
Pete Peterson · Nov 2, 2026 · 2 min read
Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) issued recalls on Oct. 23 and Oct. 27 to dispensaries selling unsafe weed.
Colorado’s MED found that five batches of cannabis products contained unsafe amounts of banned solvents, pesticides and mold, Westword reported. The recalls affected 69 dispensaries in Colorado, with most of the stores being in the Denver area.
A batch of vaporizers produced and distributed by Colorado’s Best Dabs was recalled because the products contained methyl ethyl ketone, a solvent that, when inhaled, can induce neurological, liver, respiratory and kidney harm, Westword reported.
Four different batches of The Health Center’s weed were recalled because of contamination by mold and pesticides, Westword reported. “Juiceee J” and “Wedding Cake” contained mold, “Petrol Cookies” contained a banned pesticide, and “Honeymoon Diesel” had both mold and pesticides.
This is the 28th health and safety notice issued to the Colorado cannabis industry this year, Westword said. Over 75% of Colorado cannabis products went untested for pesticides and other dangerous contaminants, according to the state auditor’s report released in September. Colorado was the first US state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012. The state brought in $236 million in tax revenue from weed sales in 2025.
“As of October 29, we have received 44 reports of adverse health events related to StayCon or Craft products,” MED told the Daily Caller News Foundation. These StayCon and Craft products were recalled in late September for containing methylene chloride, Westword reported.
Since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, traffic fatalities involving drivers impaired by cannabis increased 140%. Hospitalizations involving marijuana rose by 100%.
The regulatory issues with the cannabis industry in the Centennial State precede ballot initiatives in Idaho and Massachusetts concerning the fate of legal cannabis. The Massachusetts initiative, if passed, would prohibit the sale of recreational cannabis and mandate that recreational dispensaries either transition to medical-use only or sell their remaining supply to a medical dispensary. The Idaho initiative, if passed, would make it impossible for any citizen-led initiative to legalize drugs. Idaho currently allows neither recreational nor medical marijuana.
A 2023 American Heart Association (AHA) study found that marijuana users had a 34% greater chance of suffering heart failure than non-users.
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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].