DHSS allows 25 times more toxic Vitamin E Acetate in legal marijuana

Missouri NORML is very concerned about the fact that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Cannabis Regulation, has revised the rules concerning testing of cannabis concentrates and other marijuana products sold in the state of Missouri to allow up to 25 times more Vitamin E Acetate.

Missouri NORML coordinator, Dan Viets, Chair of the National Board of Directors of NORML said, “There appears to be no rational explanation for why the state of Missouri would dramatically increase the amount of a very toxic substance in legal cannabis products when none of it whatsoever should be present in them”.

In 2019 thousands of Americans were sent to the hospital and dozens were sent to the morgue because of consuming Vitamin E Acetate added to illegal cannabis products.

Vitamin E Acetate is not a naturally occurring substance in organic marijuana. Vitamin E Acetate has been added to organic cannabis products, specifically vaporization cartridges, in order to enhance the viscosity of the substance, which is thought to make it more appealing to consumers.

A few months back, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Cannabis Regulation (DCR), chose to revise the amount of Vitamin E Acetate which is tolerated in legal cannabis products from 0.2 parts per million (ppm) up to 5 ppm.

   

Missouri NORML has written to DHSS several times asking for the rationale for dramatically increasing the tolerance for this very dangerous substance. The only explanation DHSS has given is that, “DCR determined the good cause for granting this variance is that it provides accurate standardization of the method reference material for testing licensees, reduces the risks for false failures, and to ensure Vitamin E Acetate is not added to marijuana product”. (sic)

Obviously, this makes no sense. One does not “ensure Vitamin E Acetate is not added to marijuana product” by increasing the tolerance for Vitamin E Acetate by 25 times!

For 50 years, NORML has represented the interests of cannabis consumers, nationally and in the state of Missouri. Missouri NORML participated in the drafting of Section 1 of Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution which legalized medical use in 2018 and the drafting of Section 2 of Article XIV which legalized adult use in 2022.