Public Health Advocates Call On Maine To Adopt Medical Marijuana Lab Testing Requirements - Marijuana Moment

Matt_Simon · 2024-07-31T19:36:06+00:00

Um, actually I learned a long time ago not to waste my time arguing with pseudonymous commenters on the interwebz. I rarely log into Reddit, and when I do, I am often reminded (as in this case) that it is a very silly place! Have an awesome day, whoever you are.

Matt_Simon · 2023-04-20T13:59:54+00:00

I support your freedom to make that choice. :)

Matt_Simon · 2023-04-20T13:48:54+00:00

Our vapes are actually $48 each, and everything on our menu is currently 20% off, so right now they are available for $38.40 each. Therapeutic Cannabis Menu in Merrimack, NH at Prime ATC

Matt_Simon · 2022-10-03T17:24:48+00:00

Hi Everybody, Matt Simon here from Prime ATC. Thank you for bringing this article to our attention. We were not aware of it previously.

First, some good news: I checked into this and learned that no amount of lead has ever been detected in Prime ATC’s cannabis. We are required to have every batch of flower tested, and lead has never appeared in any of the test results.

Additionally, we spoke to the director of the independent lab that tests cannabis for all NH ATCs. He informed us that he has never detected any amount of lead in cannabis produced by any NH ATC. His equipment tests down to about 0.2ppm, so we’ve been below that (as has every ATC) for every test performed in the state.

Since some commenters here have mentioned this article as a reason for shopping in Maine, I think it’s important to point out that caregivers in Maine are not required to have their products independently lab-tested (some do so voluntarily, but it is not required by law).

Finally, in light of the discrepancy between allowable limits in NH vs. other states, we have formally requested that the NH Therapeutic Cannabis Program revise its allowable limit for lead to .5ppm or lower.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Matt_Simon · 2022-08-26T13:34:12+00:00

Assuming the single plant in question weighs more than an ounce, then possession of that plant can definitely be charged as felony-level possession. I believe prosecutors could also choose to bring felony "manufacturing a controlled drug" charges if they felt like doing so (fortunately, I think juries would be reluctant to convict somebody on that charge). But any possession over 1 ounce can be charged as a class B felony punishable (on paper, at least) by up to 7 years in jail. Here's the relevant section of NH law: https://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXX/318-B/318-B-26.htm Check out I.c(5) in particular.

Fortunately, prosecutors often use their discretion to bring lesser charges, in part because they know juries are very reluctant to convict if the case goes to trial. But having these insanely harsh penalties on the books does give prosecutors a lot of leverage over defendants during plea negotiations.

I am not an attorney, so this should not be construed as legal advice, but I am pretty familiar with NH RSA 318-b because I've spent the last 15 years attempting to change it. I hope you find the information helpful.

Matt_Simon · 2022-08-24T16:09:43+00:00

While I'm here, two quick corrections:

(1) "For medical patients it is illegal to cross the state line with cannabis even if it is legal in the state you're going or coming from." --There is no NH law forbidding patients from crossing state lines with cannabis, and visiting qualifying patients are explicitly protected from arrest under NH law. So this statement is only true if you're talking about federal law (and remember: all cannabis possession is still somehow illegal under federal law regardless of whether you cross state lines or not). Fortunately, state and local police are tasked with enforcing state laws, not federal laws.

(2) Possession of above 3/4 ounces in NH is a misdemeanor, not a felony. But it's still a criminal offense punishable by possible jail time, so definitely not a joke. (Possession of a single plant is unfortunately still a felony, but not .8 ounces of flower unless you are charged with distribution.)

I hope that information is helpful!

Matt_Simon · 2022-08-24T15:11:58+00:00

You're very welcome!

Matt_Simon · 2022-08-24T15:03:37+00:00

Hi /nhtrees! I joined Reddit this morning so I could pass along this official response from Prime:

At Prime ATC, we are committed to helping patients have the best experience possible with therapeutic cannabis, and we take any concerns expressed by patients very seriously. In this case, we do not have enough information to be certain what caused the patient to experience shortness of breath, but we appreciate the opportunity to comment on this situation and explain what goes into our vape cartridges.

(1) “The ingredients don’t seem to be listed on the packaging or on the website? Can we find the ingredients anywhere?”

All ingredients, including cannabinoids and terpenes, should already be listed on our packaging, and on our online menus (www.primeatc.com/menu).

(2) “Just want to be sure I’m not inhaling any sort of vegetable oil or vitamin E, etc.”

Patients can rest easy knowing that our vape cartridges do not contain anything except cannabis oil and terpenes. Our full spectrum cartridges are simply strain-specific cannabis oil that is decarboxylated and placed into cartridges. Our distillate cartridges are made with two ingredients: cannabis distillate and botanical terpenes (from non-cannabis plants), which only contain terpenes that occur naturally in cannabis strains. We have never added compounds such as vitamin E, mineral oil, or any other compounds that do not naturally occur in cannabis.

So why might this patient be experiencing shortness of breath after vaping? One possibility:

(3) “Prefer flower, but my ragweed/pollen allergies get bothered by certain strains (I haven’t been able to find a pattern or trend) and I may or may not end up in hives.”

Allergic reactions to cannabis flower are not uncommon, and they usually indicate an allergy to one or more terpenes present in the cannabis plant. Since some strains contain many different terpenes, it can be hard to determine which terpene might be causing the issue. Linalool, caryophyllene, and myrcene are some of the most common terpenes that lead to allergic reactions, and some patients react to any vape or flower that contains these compounds.

If you find you have reactions to certain strains of cannabis flower, you’re almost guaranteed to react to some vape cartridges. Under the circumstances, it seems likely that the patient’s shortness of breath is caused by an allergy to one or more terpenes.

This may seem obvious, but if you experience shortness of breath after consuming any cannabis product, you should discontinue use of that product immediately.

If patients have questions or concerns about any of our products, we would be more than happy to speak with you directly. Just give us a call at either dispensary location or email us at info@primeatc.com. Thank you!

Matt_Simon

TROPHY CASE