Vape warnings starting to affect sales of tested marijuana products

Oct. 12--More warnings against using any type of vape product were issued by the state Friday, and for some medical marijuana dispensary owners, that's translating into a decline in sales of the marijuana vape products.

"We've definitely seen a big decline," said Rush Hasan, one of the operators of The Reef dispensary in Detroit. "But we're trying to educate our consumers."

The vape products being sold at state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries have gone through two phases of testing, after the marijuana concentrate is made and again after the product is put in the vape cartridge.

Many of the vape products involved in the nearly 1,300 cases of lung illnesses reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been black market THC products.

"This THC is being mixed with fillers and it's coming from somebody's basement," Hasan said. "So we're taking on the role of educating our clients."

As of Oct. 8, the CDC has reported 1,299 cases, including 26 deaths, in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The CDC findings suggest products containing THC have played a role in the outbreak.

Since August 2019, 35 confirmed or probable vaping-related lung injury cases have been reported in Michigan, including one death. And the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has not seen a decrease in the number of cases being reported.

The state Marijuana Regulatory Agency joined with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Friday in warning people to stay away from any vape products. But the agency is not ordering dispensaries to remove the product from their shelves, said David Harns, spokesman for the MRA.

The state has received two reports of adverse reactions to marijuana in general, but hasn't been able to confirm whether those health effects were related to the vaping-induced lung injuries, Harns said.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a ban on the sale of flavored vape products that went into effect on Oct. 2, but that didn't include the tested vape products at marijuana dispensaries.

Eighty percent of the 26 Michiganders who were interviewed by the state reported vaping with products containing THC. All the cases have been reported in Michigan'sLower Peninsula and most of the individuals have been hospitalized for severe respiratory illness. The age range of the cases is 16 to 67 years old.

The scare has affected vape sales at the Huron View medical marijuana dispensary in Ann Arbor, said owner Christine Montague.

"Sales have definitely slowed, but there are people who are still coming in to buy, and then there are people who just want to talk about the safety issues surrounding vapes," she said. "Vapes have been a very good seller for us, but not as much as they have been."

Robin Schneider, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, said she hasn't heard about significant decreases in vape sales from members of the Association, but that the organization is helping with education efforts to let businesses and customers know the difference between tested and licensed vape products from the black market vapes.

"We're just making sure our members have information on regulation, training and labeling," she said. "Our message has been making sure that you're getting your product from the regulated market rather than the black market where you have no way of knowing what's been added to the product."

For one dispensary owner, vape sales have actually increased, but that hasn't been good news for the Greenhouse in Walled Lake.

There has been such a persistent shortage of marijuana flower in Michigan, the preferred form for many medical marijuana cardholders, that they've switched to vapes, said Jerry Millen, owner of the dispensary.

"The huge flower shortage is forcing people to vape oils," he said,

At Common Citizen, a dispensary chain with outlets in Flint and Battle Creek, owner Michael Elias said only vapes with all natural products are sold.

"Because of our belief in transparency and education, the recent vaping crisis has not impacted our sales," he said.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.

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