Will California Weed Growers Survive Legal Marijuana? (HBO)

When California’s regulators scrambled to make rules for the state’s new legal market, one issue was near the top of their list: How to deal with pot’s pesticide problem.

For years, pesticides used on black market and medical marijuana have affected water, wildlife, and consumer health. But until recently, the state had no way to prevent farmers from treating their crops with dangerous pesticides, fungicides or rodent killers. That’s all supposed to change with weed going legal, but growers, regulators and scientists say guaranteeing clean cannabis will be an uphill battle.

After a phase-in period of six months, which kicked off this week, any weed sold on California’s legal market has to test clean for residues of 66 pesticides — listed by the new Bureau of Cannabis Control. Growers say they’re already being tested at such minute levels that even weed grown organically could fail these tests. One problem is pesticides that drift from farms, which don’t have to comply with the same strict rules.

“Other crops can use fungicides and pesticides. For weed, nothing is allowed because cannabis is still illegal under federal law,” Shawn Webber, a licensed grower in Sonoma County, told VICE News.

Scientists say regulators have forgotten to extend their strict standards to the labs themselves. “It’s zero tolerance for pesticides, but at what level,” said Reggie Gaudino, Chief Science Officer at Steep Hill Labs, which offers cannabis testing in Berkeley, CA. “The regulations have no minimum standards for the machines that test the weed. People are going to shop around for the worst lab so they don’t fail.” And, as there aren’t enough labs to go around, product will spoil while it waits to be tested.

Growers who fail the tests or don’t want to invest in meeting the state’s rigorous standards, will likely return to black market. In other words, despite regulators’ best intentions, tainted weed won’t be off the menu just yet.

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50 Comments

  1. Shohidul Islam on July 14, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    Wow



  2. Tom Zart on July 14, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    GOOGLE = POT FARMER POEM $$
    I got out my pipe and stuffed it with pot
    You better believe, it held a whole lot.
    I whipped out a lighter and thumbed up a flame
    Then sucked down that smoke which comforts my brain.

    I tried alcohol; and smoked cigarettes
    Though, they did nothing, but give me regrets.
    My mom had arthritis and couldn’t walk around
    When I rolled her a joint, she danced on the ground.

    I thought I was losing my lovemaking knack
    But, after I smoked some, to me it came back.
    Soon I decided prices were high
    So I searched for some ground I wouldn’t have to buy.

    I bargained for seeds from smokers all around
    Then, got in my truck and drove out of town.
    I walked through the woods where the wild birds nest
    And found me the meadow I thought was the best.

    I dug up the ground and sowed all my seeds
    Then said a small prayer for strong, healthy weeds.
    I watered at night with a five-gallon pail
    The mosquitoes went hungry for I wore a veil.

    Seven months went by; I thought I would die
    Till the Halloween moon was high in the sky.
    At night I went out, in my camouflage suit
    And used a corn knife to chop down the loot.

    I hung it up to dry where it couldn’t be found.
    Then came back and got it, when it had turned brown.
    I trimmed off the buds, and stuffed them in bags
    Called all my friends and passed out free drags.

    In less than a week my crop was gone
    But I flew to St. Thomas with a love hungry blonde!!

    THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE IN YOUR HEART !
    By Tom Zart
    Most Published Poet On The Web
    Tom’s 1,650 Poems Are Free To Share!
    Google = Most Published Poet
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  3. Jude Ramadhar on July 14, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    What about red alpha 10?



  4. Bob Anderson on July 14, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    Cracklady on telegram is the best plug for all kinds of pills and marijuana strain I just got my pills delivered



  5. nathan plunkett on July 14, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    Just a good way for the government to decrease the population



  6. Home Stuff on July 14, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    Weed Safe!! nice joke LOOOOOOL
    pesticides for weed again LOOOOOL just plant it… it grow by it self like normal grass… it needs water + sun



  7. Shohidul Islam on July 14, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Wow



  8. Sean Mayo on July 14, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    Asking him what’s on his hair. Nothing .no water no soap no touching



  9. Tj Lardizabal Arciaga on July 14, 2021 at 8:44 pm


  10. Salingstuff80 on July 14, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Yes they have



  11. AstronautLoL on July 14, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    all the whataboutism in the comments.. smh



  12. Mark Rich on July 14, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    The list of tested pesticides arent all pesticide though some are pgr .



  13. Patrick Smith on July 14, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    Home Growers are the best they use no pesticides and it’s grown mature love and passion



  14. JACOB on July 14, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    LEAVE WEED NATURAL



  15. Apex on July 14, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    Are they using 5 gallon DWC buckets in a pro grow lmao



  16. Anthony Stanley on July 14, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    Coffee grounds and Dawn dish soap mixed with some water in a spray bottle it works for all plants inside and outside



  17. Sean Mayo on July 14, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    Bugs an all life is vital to the ecosystem but they say diff because scientist made the earth



  18. Dipu Debbarma on July 14, 2021 at 8:56 pm

    Sir your Nmbr give me



  19. Prajesh Das on July 14, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    Bhom Bholenath



  20. la vida del bogo on July 14, 2021 at 9:02 pm

    siempre e sido de autocultivo en COSTA RICA la cosa es que hasta te quieren quitar lo que siembras



  21. Death Blow on July 14, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    Glad in Michigan we can just grow our own. Avoid all this and just do you.



  22. Gorden Boccia on July 14, 2021 at 9:04 pm

    No one beats Quebec weed!!!!…
    No matter what strain …genetic …you name it !!!



  23. TrayDuece14 on July 14, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    I grow indoors n i dont even smoke weed anymore Just do it to see what i can accomplish



  24. Leon Puzon on July 14, 2021 at 9:06 pm

    She look like my uncle Johnny.



  25. Matt Bell on July 14, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    I’ll trust an old head over a person in a lab coat any day



  26. Quinn DeTemple on July 14, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    Real question is will legal weed survive Cali black market weed?



  27. Michael B on July 14, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    What’s the name of the guy interviewing everyone



  28. STAKBUNDLES18125 on July 14, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    This info isn’t even accurate smh



  29. surfinmuso on July 14, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    Funny how the price of pot has gone up since it was legalised. It was pretty much the same price for decades when illegal. The difference? The government/tax.
    The government are the worst drug dealers in history-bar none.
    They go on and on about those "terrible street dealers"… but they don’t raise the price for no reason but greed(like the government does). They don’t jack up the price of actual life saving drugs to thousands of dollars per dose(like the government does).
    They deal(over-prescribe) opioids to children. I’ve never heard of dealers actually pushing on kids(the media’s "boogeyman" story).. but the government does. Not to mention over 300,00 people die every year from pharmaceutical related deaths.
    Yes..WATCH OUT for those nasty street dealers lol…they got nothing on the death dealing/greed addicted government.



  30. E S on July 14, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    yes they will….nearly all th really good product never really gets to the dispensary



  31. Steve Lazz on July 14, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Weed is a side husle in life im shure they have made guap f them who cares lol



  32. surfinmuso on July 14, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Just wait, they will soon enact a new law that if you don’t purchase their super expensive pesticides it will be a breach of "Public Health and Safety"-bye bye to your crop and you will be fined.
    The corporations will find some way to make it illegal for the backyard/home, just a matter of time/greed.



  33. francis hatin on July 14, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    don’t PANIC it’s ORGANIC it’s NON-GMO Yo U are BLESSED 2 B a BLESSING you’re to be PEOPLE that GROW your own SUPPLY’S every FEW months Med Rec Holy Ind =MR HI 50,000+ Uses 4 CANNABIS Male&Female RELATED SITES 420+ sh AIRING RE- LEGALIZE reinstate Compulsory Mandatory GROW LAWS now SEE with EARS use EYES 4 NOTES @na1I youtube com/hemincolonialtimes SEND 2 PUBLIC SERVANTS, @t hemp123.org AIR INFO beyond AFOREMENTIONED unmentioned DEA FDA CDC WHO USDA EPA due PARDON the REDUNDANCIES sh AIR to ALL PUBLIC SERVANTS & ALLEGED SAVANTS Go 2 @t SIGN petition if APP.’S EDIT petition 420+ AT your PLACE State Island Territory Country Continent @2z SCROLL TITLES sh AIR @t32164 Hemp vs.Marijuana @ishatin @t Click HU? @t @t @t NEWSLETTER available ASK for FREE BOOK at Y N K @t 12949 Prescott AZ 86304 WEBSITE under RECONSTRUCTION @t Y N K = Yahweh’s New Kingdom IF U wish to WRITE it OUT



  34. Sven Zwaaneveld on July 14, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    To make weed safer. Yo nobody died ever using weed. But just grow your own plant



  35. julian on July 14, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    WOW, didn’t know juiced weed could make you change sex!……You never stop learning.



  36. G w on July 14, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    did they?



  37. Alessandro Bargellini on July 14, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    Legalize in italy 🇮🇹



  38. Morningstar Media on July 14, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    Omg…I can’t believe we let this happen to our mom and pops



  39. Sascha Körner on July 14, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    The Problem is that you cant grow such an ammount on plants that the dayly Consume of your own can be made of that weed….. If you smoke every Day like me, you need to buy from other people…..
    The Plant needs 3-4 months to grow and build Herbs.



  40. gennie cadoff on July 14, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    Real man smoke weeds, marijuana have been legalized get your real and good weed from #dicehacker1 on telegram, the dude have a good stuff I got my weed yesterday and his price was amazing!



  41. OoO on July 14, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    Why they taxing when I could get it around the corner for less



  42. Brian Melendez on July 14, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    I rather smoke a bug in the weed then smoke man made chemicals sprayed on weed …….?



  43. john doe on July 14, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    Oh god what a mess some of those plants are.



  44. Jeb Ziffel on July 14, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    Looking at the interviewer makes me to Not want to go smoking again.



  45. VICE News on July 14, 2021 at 9:30 pm

    Critics of the new regulations say growers who fail the tests or don’t want to invest in meeting the state’s rigorous standards will likely just return to the black market.
    WATCH NEXT on marijuana legalization – http://bit.ly/2ivzWQp



  46. surfinmuso on July 14, 2021 at 9:31 pm

    If u trust the EPA …..well u know the rest….just don’t.



  47. Joshua Stokes on July 14, 2021 at 9:31 pm

    Just don’t use Pesticides



  48. Genard Bullecer on July 14, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Panghatag mo haha



  49. Martin on July 14, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    make all pesticides illegal



  50. Boy Weed on July 14, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Love weed