Because mold is ubiquitous, it is not surprising that 85% of cannabis tested at our lab has shown traces of mold. However, only 3% of those samples have been deemed unsafe under general guidelines for herbal products.
Exposure to high levels of microorganisms such as molds and bacteria are known to cause health problems and can be particularly dangerous to patients that have existing medical problems.
The Steep Hill microbiological screening program ensures the safety of medical cannabis by identifying the type and level of microorganisms present in the medicine. Molds are ubiquitous and small amounts are found in almost every sample. However, patients with existing health problems should not be exposed to medicines that contain large amounts. Medicines that contain bacteria should be destroyed.
Examples of molds and bacteria that can found in medical cannabis: Aspergillus, Pennicillium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, yeasts, and Escherichia Coli.
