92% of unregulated canadian cannabis tested positive for pesticides in new study

Legal vs. Illegal Marijuana Markets - Pesticide Contamination

A recent study in the Journal of Cannabis Research unveils concerning safety discrepancies in marijuana grown for legal and illegal markets in Canada. A shocking 92% of unregulated cannabis was found to have pesticide contamination. This is in stark contrast to the mere 6% contamination rate in legal cannabis.

The research assessed 36 samples from licensed retailers and another 24 seized by law enforcement.

The aim was to identify contamination from any of 327 possible pesticides. In the legal samples, only trace amounts of two pesticide residues, myclobutanil and dichlobenil, were found. Notably, dichlobenil isn't even on the Canadian mandatory testing list of 96 pesticides.

On the darker side, illicit market samples painted a grimmer picture with an average of 3.7 different pesticides identified per sample. Concentrations of chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, and myclobutanil in some of these samples were disturbingly high, and one sample had nine distinct pesticide active ingredients.

Although 6% of legal samples showed some contamination, there has been significant progress in the licensed Canadian cannabis sector. Before 2019's mandatory testing requirement, contamination rates were around 30%.

For more information on Health Canada’s testing requirements for pesticide active ingredients, please click here.

The study underlines Canada’s official stance on the risks of consuming illegal products, highlighting potential adverse effects and severe harms, including contamination by pesticides and harmful levels of bacteria, lead, and arsenic.

The crux of the matter: legal and regulated marijuana sales provide safer products for consumers

. A separate US study emphasized the urgency of a unified regulation approach for cannabis, given the public confusion from a patchwork of state laws. With marijuana still federally illegal in the US, establishing a national framework remains complex. The ongoing challenge of ensuring safe products emphasizes the importance of consuming only legally sourced and regulated marijuana.


With this in mind, Canadian cannabis consumers should always remember to prioritize health by choosing safe, licensed cannabis products—because nothing should come between you and pure, untainted green.