OKLAHOMA CITY – A medical marijuana testing laboratory’s license was suspended by the State Health Commissioner because of alleged violations of Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority rules.
Commissioner Keith Reed’s emergency order immediately suspended the medical marijuana business license for Scale Laboratories in Oklahoma City, one of 29 licensed MMJ laboratories in the state. Scale is the trade name for Shiv Krupa LLC.
The OMMA issued a recall earlier this month for 99 medical marijuana products related to Scale Lab’s alleged rules violations.
“We are first and foremost concerned about the health, safety and welfare of patients who might consume harmful marijuana products,” said OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry.
“Let this serve as a warning to any licensee attempting to skirt state laws: We work diligently behind the scenes to find and take down the bad actors within this industry,” Berry said. “Our inspection teams are working across the state to keep Oklahomans safe by identifying problems and gathering the necessary evidence to help shut down bad actors that choose to break the law.”
OMMA inspections at Scale on April 12, 13 and 20, along with a review of Scale’s records, found testing violations that posed a threat to public health, safety and/or welfare, Reed claimed. According to his order, Scale:
Ÿ issued passing grades to 138 samples which actually “exceeded allowable thresholds” for yeast and mold.
Ÿ gave a pass to nine samples that failed testing for aspergillus mold, five samples that failed testing for E. coli bacteria, and one sample that failed testing for salmonella.
Ÿ did not use appropriate procedures or recordkeeping for testing for microbiological contamination, pesticides or heavy metals.
Ÿ did not use appropriate quality control methods.
Ÿ manipulated testing data.
Ÿ routinely deviated from its standard operating procedures.
During OMMA’s routine inspections and reviewing of records, it discovered results not accurately reported by the testing lab, Berry said.
OMMA alerted 33 businesses, informing them of the 99 products recalled. Growers and processors that received the notice are required to inform dispensaries that bought the recalled products.
OMMA rules require dispensaries to contact patients who purchased the recalled products. Patients who have questions about the recall should contact their dispensary. OMMA advises any patient in possession of a recalled product to return it to the dispensary.
A list of the recalled products is available on the OMMA website. The list includes information found on medical marijuana packaging and labels. Patients can check their product labels to see if what they bought is on the list.
Patients concerned they consumed a recalled product or any medical marijuana product that makes them feel ill should contact their physician for guidance.
The Metrc seed-to-sale statewide inventory tracking system will make it easier to contact businesses and patients in the event of future embargoes or recalls, Berry said. All business licenses were required to be fully Metrc-compliant by May 26. The quality-control measure will enable regulators to track cannabis from where it’s grown to where it’s processed, and then to dispensaries where it’s sold to consumers.
Public Information Officer Porsha Riley said the OMMA has more than 200 employees. They include seven agents assigned to the Office of Investigations & Enforcement, with plans to add more in the future, she said.
As a division of the State Health Department, the OMMA “works closely with OSDH-wide services, including human resources, finance, communications, legal and information technology,” Riley said. As the OMMA prepares to become a standalone agency in accordance with Senate Bill 1543, which was signed into law effective Nov. 1, “We’ll be hiring for leadership and support positions within some of those service areas,” she said.