New Legislation Seeks To Prevent Potential Carcinogens in Legal Cannabis

By Tom Maxedon
Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Published: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 4:46pm
Updated: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 4:47pm
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Republican state Sen. Sonny Borrelli is introducing legislation that would give Arizona’s Department of Agriculture inspectors the power to inspect marijuana cultivation facilities.

The proposed legislation, SB 1420, aims to ensure that chemicals banned by federal regulations for use on other crops also apply to cannabis available to the more than 150,000 Arizona residents who can legally obtain the drug.

While one fungicide called “Eagle 20” is prohibited for use on tobacco plants, Borrelli said he is concerned there is no regulation against the chemical when it comes to legal marijuana.

"Eagle 20, as an antifungal pesticide, is banned in tobacco because it's a heavy carcinogen. But it's silent for marijuana because there's nothing written for it which means they can use it. Well, the person that's buying that stuff, they need to know there's a heavy carcinogen in there. If you're a cancer patient, would you want to be taking medicine that could be making you even sicker?" 

The bill also would lower the annual fee for medical marijuana ID cards.