With Colorado becoming one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, it’s fair to say that we’ve seen a lot.

Like any other product designed for human consumption, marijuana has a wide variety of testing that must be adhered to and if contamination levels are too high, a recall is put into place.

In an interesting twist, a new report shows that one Colorado company was not only found to have been part of one of the biggest recalls in the state’s history but was also caught tampering with the testing which resulted in more than a slap on the wrist.

Mass Contamination Found in Colorado Company’s Marijuana

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Our story begins in 2019 when unacceptable levels of mold and yeast were found in marijuana cultivated by Bonsai Cultivation. Tests were performed throughout the city of Denver at this time and found that as many as 144 dispensaries were selling the contaminated marijuana from Bonsai.

However, when the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division found discrepancies in the test results, a closer look found that it was no accident.

Colorado Marijuana Company’s Cover Up

The health department, police department, and marijuana enforcement division came to the conclusion that Bonsai had manipulated the test results by treating contaminated marijuana with hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet light, and an ozone machine.

The use of the latter two treatments is allowed today, but doing so must be approved by the marijuana enforcement division and documented. However, doing so in the manner that Bonsai did in 2019 resulted in big consequences for the company.

What Happened to the Colorado Marijuana Company?

Nearly four years later, Bonsai is still operating, but not without a price. A settlement reached in 2020 saw the company forced to pay a $150,000 fine to the city of Denver, at which time the company’s license was put on a two-year probationary period as well.

In addition, another agreement reached in February of 2023 saw an additional fine of $20,000 imposed by the state of Colorado, as well as the passage of a testing process approved by the state.

Bonsai is currently serving many Coloradans’ marijuana needs, though given their reputation, may want to reconsider the names of some of their strains. Batches like Rotten Cherries, Toxic Kool-Aid, and GMO Cookies just don’t have the same ring that they once did.

[Westword]

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