State cannabis regulators issued a recall last week after random testing found mold in pre-rolled joints sold in the state.
The product, Juicy J’s cherry limeade infused pre-rolls, failed testing for Aspergillus, “a common mold that can be tolerated in small amounts by healthy individuals but may cause adverse health effects in high amounts or in individuals with compromised immune systems,” the recall notice states.
No adverse reactions have been reported, according to the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation.
The division said it is working with the Ellisville-based manufacturing facility to address the problem. The Independent did not immediately receive a response from the company.
Last year, regulators began double checking the work of licensed testing labs to catch potential problems with mold, pesticides and other contaminants.
Mold, in particular, has been a concern raised by cannabis testing experts.
During an MJ Unpacked cannabis conference panel in 2024, testing experts discussed information obtained through the Missouri Sunshine Law that showed 82% of Missouri’s cannabis testing is conducted at one licensed lab, Greenway Magazine reported. The data showed the laboratory detected mold problems far less frequently than other Missouri labs and laboratories nationwide.
The lab, identified in the data as “Lab D,” reported an Aspergillus failure rate of just under 0.5% — roughly one-eighth the national average.
The state’s other labs had a failure rate of 3.3%, compared with the national average of 3.8%.
The disparity raised questions about whether cannabis products were being adequately screened for mold. However, Ryan Bernard, the division’s testing and research unit manager, told The Independent last year that those results didn’t raise any alarm for him.
“Everybody’s being held to the same standards as far as testing is concerned,” Bernard said.
The manufacturer of the recalled Juicy J’s products is owned by CCMRB Processing LLC, whose owners also lead Michigan-based cannabis company Common Citizen. The group also owns a Fresh Karma dispensary through CCMRB Retail LLC, which was named in a lawsuit against Good Day Farm filed in May.
Last week's action is the second cannabis product recall Missouri regulators have issued this month.
The division also issued a recall earlier this month for several products made at a manufacturing facility in Cuba whose parent company is GF Extraction Lab LLC. The ownership group also owns five Root 66 Dispensary locations.
According to that recall notice, “The recalled products contain cannabinoids produced through chemical modification, conversion, or synthetic derivation of cannabinoids.”
In previous recalls in which regulators cited the same issue, the products involved hemp or cannabinoids that did not originate in Missouri.
Asked whether the recalled products were properly entered into Metrc, Missouri’s statewide marijuana tracking system, the division’s spokeswoman Lisa Cox said, “We cannot comment at this time due to it being an ongoing investigation.”
The Independent repeatedly sought comment from the owners of GF Extraction Lab but did not receive a response.
This story was originally published in the Missouri Independent.
