An employee at a local cannabis dispensary that grows its own product displays a nugget of cannabis flower. Once plants are harvested, they dry for 10 days and are cured for 30 days before packaging and sale.
A small pile of trimmed cannabis buds await packaging for retail sale.
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An employee at a local cannabis dispensary that grows its own product displays a nugget of cannabis flower. Once plants are harvested, they dry for 10 days and are cured for 30 days before packaging and sale.
Four Berkshire County cannabis shops are among a number of medical and adult-use dispensaries that have been asked by state regulators to pull potentially tainted products.
The state Cannabis Control Commission issued a public health advisory Monday regarding “the presence of yeast and mold above the acceptable testing limits.”
The products, which include flower and pre-rolled joints, were sold at dozens of retailers across the state, including HiBrid Dispensary and Budhaus Cannabis Store, both in Pittsfield, Indica Cannabis in Adams, and Great Barrington Dispensary.
Among the affected strains were Slap N Tickle, Carbon Fiber and Frosted Jungle, sold in Berkshire County between May 31, 2024, and Jan. 23, 2025; all have since been recalled. The CCC would not name the companies that produced and distributed the product, citing an open investigation.
It was not clear what the risks are of using tainted cannabis, but the advisory said anyone experiencing “adverse health effects” after consuming the products should seek medical attention and report the event to retailers.
The notice from the CCC about the finding was issued Monday, but local purveyors say they were notified two weeks ago.
Devin Bajardi, co-founder of Budhaus, said the affected product had been tested and approved before the CCC retested it. “I’ve never heard of retesting before,” Bajardi said.
“We buy products from other companies. Those other companies have them tested by CCC-regulated and inspected labs, then they package it, give it to us, and we sell it,” he said. “If Big Y sells eggs that have E. coli, I don’t think Big Y should be called out because they didn’t package it, they didn’t create it, they didn’t get it tested.”
The CCC told The Eagle such follow-up compliance checks are conducted “to ensure the public has access to safe cannabis products.”
A small pile of trimmed cannabis buds await packaging for retail sale.
Bajardi said the impact was limited on his business because Budhaus grows most of what it sells.
Indica Cannabis and Great Barrington Dispensary did not return requests for comment.
Manny Singh, the operational manager at HiBrid, said he was limited in how much he could comment. But just as Bajardi said, he hasn’t clocked any issues with customers.
“I haven’t seen any returns. Generally if customers find yeast or mold, they come to return the product, but we don’t have those issues,” Singh said. “Once we got the announcement, we had to put the product on the side.”
The CCC urged customers to check whether they have any of the products.
“Consumers and patients that possess any of the affected products may destroy it or return it to the store where they purchased it for proper disposal,” the announcement reads.
Sten Spinella can be reached at sspinella@berkshireeagle.com or 860-853-0085.
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