Recall: Marijuana Products Sold in Arizona Possibly Contaminated

PHOENIX, AZ — Some sellers and distributors have started a voluntary recall of some marijuana products because of possible contamination with Salmonella or Aspergillus.

The Arizona Department of Health Services advises that those who bought the products throw them out. Some of the products tested positive in a laboratory for Salmonella or Aspergillus. As of Thursday, no illnesses had been reported, but the health department still advises not to ingest them, out of an abundance of caution, according to a news release.

If anyone who has consumed the products experiences any of the symptoms described below, they should contact their health care provider or seek emergency treatment, depending on the severity of the symptoms.

The health department discovered, during a routine inspection of an independent third-party laboratory, "that marijuana samples that tested positive for Salmonella were reported to dispensaries and marijuana establishments as free of contaminants." A marijuana sample that tested positive for Aspergillus was also reported to sellers as being free of contaminants, according to the news release.

After the possible contamination was reported to distributors, they initiated a voluntary recall.

The potentially contaminated products are:

• Baked Bros watermelon syrup, an ingestible syrup that is potentially contaminated with salmonella, batch number: BBWS150I-1
• Toasted distillate, possibly contaminated with aspergillus, under the product names: Sugar Cookies, Rose Gold, Dawgy Treats, Pear, Dirty Sprite, Bettie Paige, Russian Cream, White Rhino, Abracadabra and Boo Berry. Batch number: VE37BB

Salmonella symptoms typically begin within 6 hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Some people may also have nausea, vomiting or a headache.

Aspergillus can cause allergic reactions or infection, typically in people who are already ill. Symptoms range from asthma or cold-like symptoms to fever and chest pain, as well as many others.