Is Your Pot Organic? A New Retail Program Will Help You Find Out [FEATURE]

The "Organic Section" program from regenerative organic marijuana certifier Sun+Earth aims to let  marijuana consumer be informed about what's in their weed. 

Organic Section at Chalice, a Golden Grail Group dispensary in Portland, OR (Photo Credit: Vincent Deschamps)

This past summer, concerns about the safety of legal marijuana moved front and center after the Los Angeles Times and WeedWeek, a cannabis industry newsletter, reported that the California Department of Cannabis Control had been aware for months that dangerous chemicals had been detected in legal marijuana sold to the public. 

The joint investigation found high levels of insecticide chlorfenapyr in cannabis products sold in pot shops around the state. The World Health Organization identifies it as a moderately toxic pesticide, but the National Institutes of Health reported that "Although [chlorfenapyr] has been identified as a moderately toxic pesticide by the World Health Organization (WHO), the mortality rate of poisoned patients is extremely high. There is no specific antidote for chlorfenapyr poisoning." 

The report also found that many popular brands of vapes and pre-rolled joints were contaminated. The Los Angeles Times and WeedWeek tested 42 different products, and 25 of them contained concentrations of pesticides above allowable levels. Some products contained as many as two dozen different pesticides, and some well-known vape brands had levels above federal thresholds for harm from a single exposure. 

This wasn't the first time concerns had been raised—see more reporting on the problem from the Times here and reporting on it from Beyond Pesticides here and here—but it certainly brought the issue into focus. Now, someone is doing something about it. 

The regenerative organic marijuana certification organization Sun+Earth announced last week that it is partnering with pot shops in California and Oregon to launch a new program called "Organic Section" to promote pesticide-free, organically grown Sun+Earth-certified products and make them more accessible to consumers. The initiative is designed to piggyback on consumer familiarity with organic sections in grocery stores by creating dedicated areas within the shops for marijuana certified by Sun+Earth or other similar programs. 

The program rolled out at 11 Oregon shops in Portland, Eugene, and Salem, with the Golden Grail Group, which owns the prominent Oregon cannabis dispensaries Chalice Farms, Homegrown Oregon, and Belushi's Animal House, taking a lead role. And it launched in California, too, with pot shops including Sespe Creek in Ojai, Herb & Market Humboldt in Arcata, and The Woods, a cannabis dispensary in West Hollywood, co-owned by Woody Harrelson, all taking part. 

"The Organic Section program has provided us with a distinct advantage in the competitive retail landscape," said William Simpson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Golden Grail Group in a press release announcing the program. "Our customers appreciate having a dedicated area where they can easily find products that align with their values. Our employees are also excited to help educate customers in understanding how their cannabis is grown," continued Simpson.

While the market research group TrendSource found in its Cannabis Industry Report that more than half (53 percent) of American marijuana users are willing to pay more for organic marijuana, the vast majority of marijuana products contain no labeling on how they were sourced and grown or what pesticides or other chemicals were used, let alone on whether they are organic. The Organic Section program tackles this issue by incorporating a consumer education campaign to raise awareness about the health and environmental benefits of organically grown marijuana. That campaign includes educating budtenders and making educational materials available at participating shops. 

"Organic sections are no longer just for grocery stores," said Jacob Policzer, Sun+Earth co-founder and Executive Director. "By bringing this familiar model to dispensaries, cannabis consumers will be better able to discern which products are being made using regenerative organic farming practices. As the cannabis market continues to evolve, initiatives like the Organic Section program provide a vital lifeline, ensuring that craft and heritage cannabis farms can continue to thrive without compromising the health of consumers and the planet," continued Policzer.

In addition to boosting consumer engagement, the Organic Section program supports craft farms by increasing their market exposure. These dedicated sections allow consumers to easily identify and choose products certified by trusted programs, including cannabis products with the familiar Sun+Earth seal and concentrated cannabis products made with Sun+Earth Certified flower.

"Our goal is to create a seamless shopping experience that aligns with consumer expectations and supports the growth of sustainable, organically grown cannabis," said Vincent Deschamps, Sun+Earth board member and owner of 54 Green Acres farm in Oregon. "We believe the Organic Section program will set a new standard in the industry, benefiting consumers, dispensaries, and craft farms alike," continued Deschamps.

Marijuana users are not purely at the mercy of the market. They can choose to buy healthier products for themselves and the environment. Sun+Earth's Organic Section program can help and it can serve as an example for the rest of the industry.