Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Federally regulated marijuana companies caught using banned pesticides that put consumers’ health at risk will now face fines of up to $1-million per violation, The Globe and Mail has learned.
The fines will be enshrined in federal legislation as a way to clamp down on unauthorized use of dangerous chemicals by licensed cannabis growers, according to Health Canada.
The legislative changes will “Provide the Minister of Health with the authority to issue an administrative monetary penalty of up to $1-million per violation to a licensed producer for a violation of the Act or its regulations,” Health Canada spokeswoman Tammy Jarbeau said.
The Globe’s investigation found evidence of intentional use of banned pesticides within the industry, and exposed gaps in Health Canada’s oversight, including that it did not require product safety tests to ensure such chemicals weren’t being used. The medical-marijuana industry is a precursor to the legalized recreational market, which is set to begin in mid-2018.
A former employee of Mettrum Ltd. told The Globe he witnessed staff spraying plants with the banned pesticide myclobutanil as far back as 2014, despite them knowing it was prohibited by Health Canada. The results showed evidence of five unauthorized pesticides – three more than Health Canada knew about when the products were originally recalled.
Neil Closner, chairman of the Cannabis Canada Association, which represents roughly a quarter of the 80 or so licensed cannabis producers in Canada, said the fines should be effective in dealing with companies who don’t want to follow the rules.
