New Regulations Cause Vape Cartridges to Fail Testing Due to Lead

SAN DIEGO, February 15, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​Although the demand for cannabis vape pens is growing rapidly, many brands are being taken off the shelves due to detection of lead. San Diego based company, Platinum Vape, avoided this issue  by investing early in high-quality cartridges. Starting Jan. 1, 2019 the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) required additional testing on all cannabis products for terpenoids, mycotoxins, heavy metals and water activity. 

George Sadler, co-owner of Platinum Vape, took a proactive approach to the new regulations and started testing his products in December so they were ready to hit the shelves Jan. 1. “We knew phase 3 testing was coming so the last thing we wanted was a hiccup in our supply chain. You can’t skimp on materials when consumers are inhaling and ingesting your products, they have to be safe,” states Sadler. Josh Swider, of Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs explains that even if you have a clean cannabis oil it can still fail Phase 3 testing. “The issue often lies with the quality of the cartridge hardware as opposed to the cannabis product itself,” he says.

BDS Analytics concluded that concentrates dominate the biggest growth category in cannabis with vape pens being the fastest growing product. An article by Real Money shows that vape cartridges in California account for 71 percent of all cannabis concentrate sales. Swider points out that metals such as lead and cadmium leach into the cannabis oil from cheaply manufactured cartridges. This process can take time and the longer the cannabis oil is in the cartridges, the higher the concentration of heavy metals. “We have tested cheaply made vape cartridges and pens post filling at time intervals up to 90 days, which show an exponential rate of contamination of heavy metals the longer the cartridges were filled,” states Swider.

An article in Cannabis Business Times revealed that during early samples of Phase 3 testing a large portion of cannabis products were failing the heavy metal testing with levels that were up to 20 times higher than the government allows. Sadler explains that “Many companies cut corners and use synthetic wicks that when burned can break off into the oil. Our CCELL cartridges use a ceramic heating element that eliminates any issue of contaminating our pesticide-free oil.”

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is no safe amount of lead for humans as lead negatively affects almost every organ and system in the body. Lead poisoning has been a huge concern throughout the years as Congress has passed a number of laws addressing lead in paint, dust, soil, air, and water.

Beyond the cost associated with Phase 3 testing, Swider states, “The worst mistake cartridge producers are making is that they bought large quantities of cheap hardware in bulk to be cost-efficient.” When these cheap cartridges fail testing due to lead or cadmium, all these companies have left is a bad investment and thousands of useless cartridges.

Now more than ever, the cannabis marketplace needs to be diligent on the quality and exactness of products that they are producing. “Cleanliness and safety are paramount when creating a product for human consumption,” says Sadler. “We set the bar very high here. That is why we chose the name Platinum.”

Platinum Vape: Born in 2013 in San Diego, California as a father and son family business with a passion to perfect oil that would be powerful, consistent, and desirable. Platinum Vape has been a part of the cannabis industry’s transitions from legendary California "Wild West" era to the current phase of professional standards and practices. From the start, we’ve never wavered on our values of hard work, dedication and the stubborn resolve to make the best personal vaporizer on the market. It all begins with selecting the finest plants for extraction. Our farming partners are masters at their craft to ensure pesticide-free, high-potency cannabis flower. The result is top quality cannabis concentrates and platinum products. https://houseofplatinum.com

Media Contact: Jessi Garrett, (619) 609-3191, [email protected]

Source: Platinum Vape