Maine patients could be the first on the East Coast to consume medical marijuana grown to standards similar to those used for certified organic food products.
The Certified Clean Cannabis program, launched by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and now in a yearlong trial phase, is the first of its kind on the East Coast and one of the only programs in the country to set standards for growing medical marijuana without harmful chemicals.
The program, launched in late August, verifies that medical cannabis is grown to standards that correspond to the national organic standards used for food crops. Five growers from across the state have been certified as part of the trial phase.
“We think we’re way ahead of the curve,” said John Krueger, a MOFGA board member who helped develop the clean certification standards over the past two years.
Marijuana cannot be called organic because the term is federally regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. The USDA does not recognize cannabis as an agricultural crop because it is illegal under federal law.
