Recall Expands For Cannabis Vape Cartridges In Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine (WMTW) - The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) has expandeda health and safety recallfor vape cartridges that were sold in the state and later found to contain unsafe pesticide levels.

According to the OCP, there was a consumer complaint about an adverse health reaction to Yani adult-use vape cartridges of the strain “watermelon chimera,” which were produced by NorCO Outdoor Cannabis.

The OCP said it conducted testing on the products, which revealed the batch contained unsafe levels of the pesticide chlorfenapyr.

While the investigation was pending, the OPC said NorCO voluntarily recalled additional batches of Yani vape cartridges of the strains “apples & bananas,” “cherry tartufo” and “lemon cherry pie” from retail stores.

The OCP expanded its investigation to include testing of those additional vape cartridges and test results also showed unsafe levels of chlorfenapyr.

Inhaling cannabis containing unsafe levels of chlorfenapyr can lead to high fever, sweating, nausea, vomiting and/or altered mental status, according to state officials.

The original recall that was issued on Oct. 27 stated that the affected products were sold at 21 adult-use retail stores across Maine between July 10 and Oct. 16.

In its expanded recall on Thursday, the OCP said affected products were sold at five more stores. In addition, the OCP said the additional recalled products were sold between March 10 and Oct. 23.

The affected 0.5-gram and 1-gram live resin vape cartridges were sold at the stores listed below.

• Atlantic Farms, 210 New County Road, Thomaston, ME 04861
• Belvidere Farm, 185 Pleasant St., Rockland, ME 04841
• Cannabis Cured
  • 49A Bangor Mall Boulevard, Bangor, ME 04401
  • 312 Mayville Road Unit 4, Bethel, ME 04217
  • 1215 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947
  • 53A Chapman St., Damariscotta, ME 04543
  • 28 Levesque Drive Suite 16, Eliot, ME 03903
  • 228 Norridgewock Road, Fairfield, ME 04937
  • 442 Fore St., Portland, ME 04101
  • 152 Main St., Stratton, ME 04982
  • 155 New County Road, Thomaston, ME 04861
• Cannabis Haven
  • 20 Union St. Unit C, Auburn, ME 04210
  • 1150 Center St., Auburn, ME 04210
  • 265 Western Ave., Augusta, ME 04330
  • 806 Sabattus St. Suite 2, Lewiston, ME 04240
  • 341 Main St., Waterville, ME 04901
• Garden Lites 420, 16 North Main St., Peru, ME 04290
• GreenLife Guilford, 6 Hudson Ave., Guilford, ME 04443
• GreenLife Milo, 19 Park St., Milo, ME 04463
• Higher Grounds of Maine, 45 Wharf St., Portland, ME 04101
• Hive LLC, 52 River Road, Chelsea, ME 04330
• Mile High Recreational, 550 Center St., Auburn, ME 04210
• OMG Cannabis Co., 47 India St. Suite C, Portland, ME 04101
• Royal Leaf Apothecary, 415 Main St., Presque Isle, ME 04769
• The Joint.me, 1140 Brighton Ave. Suite C, Portland, ME 04102
• Theory Wellness, 8 Dexter Lane, Kittery, ME 03904

The OCP said all adult-use cannabis is required to have a label affixed to the package that indicates the product’s batch number. The batch numbers of the recalled products are listed below, along with the dates they were sold:

• Watermelon chimera: 1A40D0300006145000011115 (sold from July 10 through Oct. 16)
• Apples & bananas: 1A40D0300005B69000000896 (sold from April 15 through Oct. 23)
• Cherry tartufo: 1A40D0300006145000011114 (sold from July 1 through Oct. 23)
• Lemon cherry pie: 1A40D0300005B69000000715 (sold from March 10 through Oct. 10)

Consumers who purchased the affected products should return them to the retailer or dispose of them.

The OCP said anyone who has ingested the affected products and is experiencing symptoms or adverse reactions should immediately contact a health care provider or dial 911 if there is a medical emergency.

More information about the recall is available on the OCP website.

by WABI