PHOENIX – Officials with the Arizona Department of Health Services say there is a voluntary recall underway involving a marijuana product that is sold in Arizona.
In a statement released on Oct. 20, officials with AZDHS said the product being recalled is Curaleaf MnC, with batch number MnC-IC123H2-N. The product is being voluntarily recalled due to possible contamination with Aspergillus.
AZDHS officials say they were made aware of the possible contaminated product by the marijuana establishment that sold the product. They also say no illnesses have been reported to date.
“Patients who have purchased potentially contaminated products should not ingest, inhale, or otherwise consume them and should dispose of them. If you have already consumed any of the products and have any of the symptoms described below, please contact your health care provider or seek care in the event of an emergency,” read a portion of the statement.
Full statement from Curaleaf
On October 10, 2023, Curaleaf management was alerted to a failing test result for Find Flower “Mac N Cheese” Batch No. MNC-C1-230301 and immediately pulled the product from shelves. Following an internal investigation, it was discovered that the original test result failed for aspergillus and the batch was released from production quarantine due to an unintentional human error. Internal disciplinary action was taken and the directly responsible team member has been removed from the production area.
On October 14, 2023, a second re-test confirmed the original failing result, leading to a voluntary product recall. The Company self-reported to the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) to inform them of the matter and ensure appropriate action is taken, including alerting all customers impacted.
Curaleaf accepts full responsibility and apologizes to our Arizona patients and customers for this inconvenience. Patient and customer safety and satisfaction are our number one priority, and we are immediately evaluating our revised quality control practices to correct any gaps and prevent this mistake from occurring again. Curaleaf is grateful to the ADZHS for their continued partnership as this process demonstrates the integrity of the legal cannabis market.
Patients who have concerns about any of our products are encouraged to email us at Info.AZ@Curaleaf.com.
What is Aspergillus?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Aspergillus is a mold that exists both indoors and outdoors.
“Most strains of this mold are harmless, but a few can cause serious illnesses when people with weakened immune systems, underlying lung disease or asthma inhale their fungal spores,” read a portion of the Mayo Clinic’s website.
Aspergillus, according to the Cleveland Clinic, can cause a disease known as Aspergillosis.
“In certain people, Aspergillus can cause allergic reactions, chronic lung conditions and invasive disease that spreads to your brain, kidneys, lungs or other organs,” read a portion of the Cleveland Clinic’s website.
Treatment for the Aspergillosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic, can include antifungal treatment, use of corticosteroids, and even surgery. In some cases, however, aspergillosis could recur, and some types of Aspergillosis can be very hard to cure.
