The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission released a bulletin Nov. 15 indicating that all cannabis vape products must be tested for vitamin E acetate and any vapes containing the substance cannot be sold.
The screening is mandatory for all vape cartridges and disposable vape pens prior to the products being released to a licensed dispensary, according to The Baltimore Sun. Vape products currently available for sale will be placed on an “administrative hold” until the additional testing is completed.
The commission’s new policy comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Nov. 9 that vitamin E acetate is the likely cause of the national outbreak of vape-related lung injuries. Federal health officials found the substance in the lung fluids of 29 affected patients and indicated that it is associated with the illness, although they are not ruling out the possibility that other additives or factors may also be to blame.
There have been at least 23 reported cases of vape-related lung illness in Maryland, The Baltimore Sun reported.
