Pennsylvania lawmakers have taken a significant step toward improving the safety of medical marijuana products after reports surfaced about contaminants in cannabis. A new bill, which cleared a key House committee on Wednesday, aims to tighten oversight of testing labs to ensure consumers receive safe and accurately labeled products.
Concerns Over Contaminants Spark Legislative Action
Medical marijuana has been legal in Pennsylvania for nearly eight years, but questions about product safety have intensified. Recent investigations have uncovered alarming amounts of contaminants—mold, heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and other toxic substances—in cannabis products.
A Wall Street Journal investigation found that federal health authorities received thousands of reports of harmful side effects, including poisonings linked to marijuana use, in 2023. The revelation has heightened pressure on lawmakers to address the issue, prompting them to push forward House Bill 33.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Pittsburgh), gives the state Department of Health the power to oversee marijuana testing labs. The goal is to establish rigorous oversight through:
- Audit testing of marijuana products
- Quality assurance measures
- Increased data transparency
- More frequent inspections of testing facilities
Frankel emphasized that the bill was developed in consultation with the industry, testing lab experts, and the state Health Department. He described it as a necessary step to protect consumers.
Marijuana’s Nature Makes It Vulnerable to Contaminants
One of the biggest risks with cannabis is that it’s a bioaccumulator—a plant that absorbs substances from its environment faster than it can get rid of them. This means it can pull in pesticides, heavy metals, and even mold spores from the soil or air, which may then end up in the final product.
A 2023 study by Columbia University found marijuana users had:
- 27% higher levels of lead and 22% higher levels of cadmium in their blood
- 21% higher lead levels and 18% higher cadmium levels in their urine
These findings are particularly concerning since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that no level of lead is safe in the human body. Cadmium exposure, meanwhile, has been linked to lung cancer and kidney disease.
Another growing issue is fungal contamination. Some species of mold, such as Aspergillus, pose a severe threat to immunocompromised individuals. Even healthy users could be at risk from certain fungi found in marijuana.
Demand for Marijuana Is Growing—But So Are Safety Concerns
As more states legalize cannabis, the number of users continues to climb. A National Institute on Drug Abuse study released in 2023 found that:
- 44% of adults aged 19 to 30 reported using marijuana in 2022, up from 28% a decade ago
- 28% of adults aged 35 to 50 reported use, nearly double the percentage from 10 years prior
While demand is increasing, the lack of federal oversight has resulted in patchwork safety standards across the country. In Pennsylvania, some companies have allegedly sought out labs that pass more products, potentially allowing contaminated cannabis to reach consumers.
Lawmakers Push for Stronger Oversight and Physician Regulations
House Bill 33 is not the first attempt to introduce stronger regulations. Frankel proposed similar legislation—House Bill 2208—during the last legislative session, which passed the House with an overwhelming 196-6 vote. However, it failed to make progress in the Senate before the session ended in November 2023.
This time, lawmakers made key changes before advancing the new bill. Two amendments were added:
- One introduced technical clarifications negotiated with industry stakeholders and the Health Department.
- The other incorporated language from House Bill 28, which strengthens the Health Department’s role in deciding which physicians can certify patients for medical marijuana use.
Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren), the committee’s minority chair, backed the bill, emphasizing the need for continued oversight to ensure patient safety.
With bipartisan support in the House, the bill now heads to the full chamber for a vote. If it passes there, the focus will shift to whether the Pennsylvania Senate will take action this time around.