San Diego, CA: An analysis of unregulated THC vapor pens in southern California reported that most products contained unsafe amounts of adulterants, heavy metals, and pesticides.
Of the counterfeit products tested, 62 percent were positive for pesticides and almost 40 percent were positive for elevated levels of lead. Half of the products contained far lower levels of THC than advertised, and several products tested positive for the presence of Vitamin E oil – an adulterant that is believed to be a primarily culprit in EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury).
Overall, researchers reported that nearly 80 percent of the products sampled were determined to be “unfit for human consumption.”
The findings are similar to prior reviews of counterfeit vapor products in California and in other states which also have reported that the use of unregulated products posed serious dangers to health.
For more information, see the new California NORML white paper, “Health Benefits and Risks of Cannabis Vaporizers and Vape Pens.”