{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/testing/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2192-markdown","title":"Pesticides in Marijuana: Should You be Worried?","slug":"pesticides-in-marijuana-should-you-be-worried","content":"If you've been following cannabis news, you likely know about Colorado's\r\nrecent cannabis recalls. Within the last month, Colorado's cannabis\r\nregulators have issued 13 marijuana recalls due to the use of unapproved\r\npesticides in marijuana grow operations. These recalls indicate a scary\r\nproblem in the cannabis industry, and it's one that all consumers should\r\nbe aware of\r\n\r\n**Pesticides and Cannabis**\r\n\r\nOne of the most high-profile recalls in recent history is the\r\n[recall](http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/03/21/la-contes-clone-bar-marijuana-recall-pesticides/50520/)\r\nthat hit La Conte's Clone Bar in Colorado, which sells marijuana grown\r\nby Colorado's Best Inc. During a recent recall, health officials\r\ndetected the presence of\r\n[imidacloprid](http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidagen.html) in 23\r\nbatches of the marijuana sold at La Conte's Clone Bar in Colorado.\r\nImidacloprid is a popular, nicotine-like insecticide that is often used\r\non agricultural crops but has not been approved for use in cannabis\r\ncultivation.\r\n\r\nWhile this specific recall relates to a single dispensary, it's\r\nindicative of a much larger problem. Washington state recently [fined\r\ntwo marijuana\r\ngrowers](http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2016/02/11/23553397/washington-state-fines-two-marijuana-growers-for-using-prohibited-pesticides)\r\nfor pesticide use and Colorado has seen [dozens of\r\nrecalls](http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28838784/denver-issues-two-more-recalls-pot-containing-unapproved)\r\nbefore this one. At the end of the day, the problem boils down to how,\r\nand what kind of pesticides are used in cannabis production.\r\n\r\nAs is true with any agricultural crop, growing marijuana is difficult.\r\nCannabis plants are prone to predation by insects and damage by disease\r\nand fungus. While these issues are easily managed in small grow\r\noperations, larger operations need to find a way to protect their plants\r\nand meet production demands. Because of this, they often [turn to\r\npesticides](http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/08/pot-marijuana-pesticide-legalization/401771/).\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, gaps between federal and state laws have made it\r\nvirtually impossible for cannabis farmers to find pesticides that are\r\napproved for use on their plants. In turn, this means that the\r\npesticides they're applying to keep their plants safe are illegal and,\r\noften, unregulated. Despite the fact that medical marijuana is now\r\n[legal in 23\r\nstates](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881)\r\nand the District of Columbia, and recreational marijuana is legal in\r\nfour, cannabis is still [classified as a Schedule\r\nI](http://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml) substance, which places it in\r\nthe same group as drugs like Heroin, LSD and Quaaludes.\r\n\r\nWhile the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for\r\ntesting insecticides and pesticides and developing safety guidelines for\r\ntheir use on crops across the country, federal law explicitly bans the\r\napproval of pesticides for Schedule I substances, meaning that there are\r\ncurrently no legal pesticide options for marijuana farmers.\r\n\r\nThis agricultural loophole has created an enormous problem, wherein\r\notherwise responsible marijuana farmers are left to take matters into\r\ntheir hands to protect their crops and consumers are left to purchase\r\nmarijuana that may be tainted with dangerous pesticides.\r\n\r\n**The Difference Between Food and Marijuana Testing**\r\n\r\nInsecticides and pesticides are both used commonly in commercial food\r\nproduction. To keep food safe for consumption, however, the EPA sets\r\nstrict \"[tolerances](https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-tolerances),\" which\r\ndefine how much pesticide residue can remain in the meat of or on the\r\nskin of food. This ensures that pesticide residues stay at harmless\r\nlevels and keeps the food supply safe for human consumption.\r\nUnfortunately, commercially-produced cannabis doesn't go through the\r\nsame testing procedures.\r\n\r\nBecause the government has yet to step in and implement rigid testing\r\npractices for commercial cannabis, states are essentially on their own\r\nwhen it comes to pesticide use in marijuana crops. Some states, like New\r\nHampshire, have passed regulations that require only the [least harmful\r\npesticides](http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28917964/colorado-yields-marijuana-industry-pressure-pesticides)\r\n(Such as oils derived from Peppermint and\r\n[Neem](http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html) - a naturally\r\noccurring pesticide derived from the Neem tree) to be used on cannabis\r\nplants. Other states, however, have yet to pass pesticide regulation and\r\nare still lacking defined tolerances from the EPA, which creates a\r\ndangerous gap in standardized testing practices.\r\n\r\nAs it stands now, states don't receive any federal guidance when\r\ndetermining how they will [test commercial\r\nmarijuana](http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/watchdog/documents/PesticideUseCannabisProduction.pdf).\r\nRight now, twelve states require random testing to look for pesticide\r\nresidues while states like New Mexico and Vermont only require cannabis\r\nto be tested after a complaint about pesticide contamination has been\r\nlodged. Delaware requires that dispensaries develop their own protocol\r\nfor testing cannabis but doesn't specify that cannabis samples must be\r\ntested for pesticide residue. Colorado, on the other hand, doesn't\r\nrequire any standardized testing and merely requires un-tested cannabis\r\nto label itself as such. In California, a law passed on the first of the\r\nyear that [requires that commercial marijuana be\r\ntested](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB266)\r\nfor pesticides, mold, and other contaminants. In all states, growers and\r\ndispensaries are required to pay for any testing conducted, which is\r\ncost-prohibitive for many. Because of these varied and often spotty\r\napproaches, consumers are best served by learning to protect themselves\r\nfrom pesticide-tainted cannabis.\r\n\r\n**Protecting Yourself From Pesticides in Cannabis**\r\n\r\nUntil standardized and monitored testing practices are implemented\r\nacross the country, consumers can protect themselves from purchasing\r\ncannabis tainted with pesticides by following these tips:\r\n\r\n-   **Always purchase from reputable sellers.** Quality cannabis\r\n    operations care about the safety of their product and will either\r\n    use non-toxic pesticides (like Peppermint oil) or will invest in\r\n    testing to ensure that their products are safe for\r\n    human consumption. Purchasing from these sellers is the best way to\r\n    ensure that you're purchasing pure products.\r\n-   **Ask about testing practices.** If you're in doubt about whether a\r\n    marijuana product has been tested for pesticide residues, don't be\r\n    afraid to ask. The seller should be able to provide you with\r\n    information about the testing that was done and who conducted it.\r\n-   **Know your state's laws.** Right now, states are taking many\r\n    approaches to marijuana testing. By knowing what testing\r\n    requirements looks like in your state, you can make educated\r\n    decisions about where and how to purchase marijuana.\r\n\r\nAs it stands now, cannabis testing and pesticide use are both largely\r\nunregulated. This places consumers at risk of buying tainted and\r\npossibly dangerous products. Until standardized testing and pesticide\r\nguidelines are implemented, the best way to mitigate those risks is to\r\neducate yourself about pesticide use and marijuana testing regulations.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/osumg/6780475930/in/photolist-bkaHgq-hKwMX1-boxv7T-jZrwXE-jZrAYW-dpuBXG-bsD2eD-oVnd6P-8aXcTA-8aXcP5-3v3yx-6dkuDb-Nt5QP-ce7RZw-3HRSHZ-nrqASz-e6EQGQ-6QKkBc-nKkc9E-23666p-52LCHk-NYaqJ-2AhCW9-8wQE8x-ds1MuW-ds1MwS-ds1MvU-9BJi2j-93nrci-pPtEg6-kkxxv-54tXqr-7k9FWP-qqCqiF-9BCAY4-54tWJB-hFp3Ud-wGBkw6-zstRyt-8DXJF9-rrtVjX-dj4Srj-p7wBdB-MxCAE-exLKGV-zsm7Sw-jZvf4G-iTxGZr-nDapnG-5wCTgg)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAANCAIAAAAmMtkJAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAADJElEQVQozwEZA+b8ACoYD1g4JW9HLINXPIdXPYBXPHVQMno+LYc2K4dALnpUNm9JLWdGK109Jk01JEcwIVY3I1MwGisYDSUZEQBnQSpwRit8TjRoWjtKXjiEWDmDXDyAJxutEBCVEQ93OiFoRCcuKSM1NDI+Kh1GLiAxJyJYNiVTLx0uFwoAdkkugVlAeUksZVxJS3BuhmNPiFo4q3ds5KKo0ZmcsYp+ZUg0Q0gyNzkvIhgWNSYfMCclZEEhbEgqVTYjAJl6ZtfU1q6Rf4FvZVJyUz9TRXRtZMzPzdvt8tXk57+4snh1bQ0jEhokIyQvMS88PCwjI5iIT5B5SWI8KQDHxsW+vL24tLOMgXZoaExFXVZPXFTAvrzSxb3X1tqtmIpoaVsaQyxBVVokPjoDLxM4Ni/a3eS9tbNuSTMAl4Z7iHt3lo2MbmRUTGJDW3tfSF5Ghnx7eWdblJuX1c7Mb3RxDBgJVW9YM009ABECWF1Yys7Nz9PbycTEAJF7a6eprLGtr2dnWzFgPj9nP1hkQ6OcoZqEhqB/edPV2GNlZh0aDzZUNBUwGgcIBkpMQ2RwYWR0anGJlQCIaVSjo6Wopql7bV2PcjVsYENvZ0S6tbXZsrbPxcnJ0dZSVFQaGBYmIyE2NDAeGxY9S1pPaHtdeYNRiacAhGFLn5mXrKmqkYN3qIhEp3xJeWpNlI+IrKagoJmSp5mQVkc8GA4IGhMSFRUWFhMSP3GWWH+Ra2FQhYB9AH1cQpqLgp+Ie41tWoRgSodgR4NaP4tkTJBqVYlmUXtfS3JUPmxJM1k+LUo1J1I5KoN7doiPk3J6bXBpWwB5VTh8V0B9V0CBVzyOZkiHYER/Wj2OZk2VblmLaFODYUtzVT1vUjp0VT93VUBuTDdmRTRyUkCDaFtvTj0AbU01d1U9f1pChFxBh2BGh2FGhVw+j2ZKlGxUimRLfltBe1g+flg+fltBe1hBeFE5bUw6cVJAbks3Yz8pAHFMMG5POH9ZQINZPoJbQIFZPoJYPIVeQ4djSX1cRH5bQYJZPYFXO35ZQHxXPnBNN3FOOHRQO3BNOWpDLkxFLGgTaiztAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","aspectRatio":1.550387596899225,"src":"/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/ee604/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.png","srcSet":"/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/69585/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.png 200w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/497c6/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.png 400w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/ee604/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.png 800w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/7d603/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.png 992w","srcWebp":"/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/58556/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/61e93/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.webp 200w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/1f5c5/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.webp 400w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/58556/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.webp 800w,\n/static/652f7a02ed399d2a4b282ae428c45865/34d2b/e5ac16c975174f3a3b3a6235d1b185b1.webp 992w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2060-markdown","title":"How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Body?","slug":"how-long-does-marijuana-stay-in-your-body","content":"Despite the potential therapeutic benefits, using marijuana is\r\ncurrently prohibited under federal law. Additionally, testing in the workplace is common, with many people feeling their jobs may be at risk in case of detection.\r\n\r\nAs a result, many prospective and current medical marijuana users want to know how long marijuana\r\nstays in their system so they can reap the benefits while avoiding the\r\npotential legal repercussions. \r\n\r\n**Detecting the Presence of Marijuana**\r\n\r\nWhen marijuana is inhaled or ingested, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and\r\nother cannabinoids are absorbed into the bloodstream. THC is detectable\r\nin the blood for only a short time before being broken down into\r\nmolecules known as metabolites. These metabolites are stored in fat and\r\nare eliminated from the body over time. Determining exactly how long\r\nmarijuana stays in the body depends greatly on how long THC and its\r\nmetabolites remain in the following biological specimens:\r\n\r\n### Urine\r\n\r\nUrine reveals the presence of THC-COOH, a THC metabolite, for up to\r\neight days after a single use of marijuana. The accuracy of urine\r\ntesting declines after about a week, but many frequent or heavy\r\nmarijuana users continue to test positive for up to 15 and 90 days,\r\nrespectively. Diluting urine with water or other substances can increase\r\nthe chances of a false-negative result.\r\n\r\n### Hair\r\n\r\nHair provides the longest record of past marijuana use, and detection\r\ntimes are based on hair length. It takes about 5-10 days for hair\r\ncontaining THC-COOH to grow above the scalp where it can be extracted,\r\nand moving from root to tip, every half inch of hair provides a 30-day\r\ndetection window. A standard hair test uses a 1.5-inch sample of hair\r\ncut at the scalp line, and covers a 90-day detection period. The results\r\nof hair analysis are not affected by external contaminants, such as hair\r\ndyes and styling products.\r\n\r\n### Blood\r\n\r\nTHC is detectable in the blood for appropriately six to 24 hours after a\r\nsingle use of marijuana. Heavy or frequent use can produce positive\r\nresults for up to a week.\r\n\r\n### Saliva\r\n\r\nSaliva testing offers the shortest detection window and thus provides a\r\nrecord of more recent marijuana use. THC is most readily detectable in\r\nsaliva one to two hours after ingestion, but can continue to produce\r\npositive results for up to 12 hours. The results of saliva analysis are\r\nnot always reliable because only minimal amounts of marijuana are\r\nexcreted in saliva.\r\n\r\n**Factors Affecting the Elimination of Marijuana**\r\n\r\nEstimating how long marijuana stays in the body is a challenging task\r\nbecause of the many factors that influence the drug's elimination. Some\r\nof these include:\r\n\r\n-   **Amount and frequency of use:** Frequent or heavy marijuana use\r\n    typically results in longer elimination times.\r\n-   **Metabolic rate:** People with high metabolic rates break down THC\r\n    faster than those with low metabolic rates and thus eliminate\r\n    marijuana faster.\r\n-   **Age and overall health:** Metabolism slows with age and ill\r\n    health, resulting in longer elimination periods.\r\n\r\nThe amount of time marijuana stays in the body depends on a combination\r\nof factors that are unique to each individual. In a small percentage of\r\ncases, marijuana may stay in the body for longer than the times\r\ndescribed here.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/spapax/4864045598/in/photolist-8pPvi9-6yJcjt-jRcDHD-94iuSL-p6MCC5-dzFnp3-fKm5e6-5WgcMT-mLTYN7-7DCC5m-d9txSf-88G64K-pn5hmK-5DVfVF-rNDquC-qNUG9X-eb373f-gXvhUX-2TtdZm-dtgLMo-hKgkTV-rWJ5K-dZrrr-7CBSbv-c3sm2W-dtPGk-5qhemo-pELvqg-HmAzJ-srLvJp-amT8d2-rqW93q-7Q9sio-7gYhP-5ZvVMf-71c6CD-4rFABb-ePnmx-Kr1ZU-qJrofv-iwCDhG-5eqYC3-cS5Rqj-8Luk2K-9grNy-srCwVE-co64gJ-7svqiD-nxhgPZ-oeXqzE)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5267175572519085,"src":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/86732/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png","srcSet":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/69585/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 200w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/497c6/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 400w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/86732/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 596w","srcWebp":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/a6880/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/61e93/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 200w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/1f5c5/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 400w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/a6880/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 596w","sizes":"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5831,"name":"Testing","slug":"testing","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}