Remediation is the process of a cannabis business taking corrective measures to remove undesirable elements, such as pesticides, heavy metals or mold, from their product so that it can pass regulatory testing standards.

The most popular methods for remediating cannabis biomass include using ozone or various forms of radiation to kill microbes on the plant. Cannabis oils can be further remediated at a processing facility using extraction and distillation methods.

No. Removing harmful products from cannabis sounds like a good thing, but quality growers work hard to ensure their cannabis never needs remediation to begin with.

Yes! While remediation can remove harmful elements from the cannabis product, it also destroys natural terpenes and cannabinoids, making the cannabis less flavorful and less potent. 

And while remediation can be used to ensure flower passes testing by killing dangerous molds like aspergillus, it cannot remove the mycotoxins aspergillus creates. Even when killed with treatment, the dead pathogens could trigger allergies or asthma.

Remediated product must pass testing to confirm that contaminants are no longer present exceeding the Cannabis Regulatory Authority action limit. Remediated flower (buds, shake/trim) will additionally require potency to be repeated post remediation. Failed marijuana product must pass two separate retests. If one or both retests fail, the product is ineligible for sale or transfer and must be destroyed.

It’s always a good idea to ask your budtender if the product you are interested in purchasing has been remediated. Unfortunately, however, companies are not required to tell consumers whether a cannabis product has been remediated. 

Smoking dead mold bodies/spores with residual mycotoxins in remediated flower isn’t something we think most consumers would like and can’t recommend it.

The only way to prevent cannabis from needing to be remediated is by using strict standards of cleanliness, conducting regular environmental analyses, adhering to the very best growing techniques and ensuring every employee follows their company’s standard operating procedures.

Our goal is to make remediation labeling a requirement – either through changes in regulation or state law. Sign our petition here so that you can stay involved in the process.