Colorado to Consider Spraying a Chemical Tracking Agent on Weed
Lab testing for marijuana is mandated by most states that have legalized cannabis. A lab testing facility is contracted out to detect foreign substances on legal marijuana like fungus, mold and pesticides. The state of Colorado though is considering spraying a chemical tracking agent on all legal marijuana and hemp sold in the state to help authorities combat the illegal market.
The tracking agent technology has not even been invented yet by the way. While combating the illegal marijuana market should be a priority for any state that has legalized cannabis, there has to be a better way to regulate the market than making consumers smoke strange chemicals.
A new bill being proposed in the Colorado Senate would require all cannabis plants in the state to be marked with a chemical tracking agent in order to help local police keep tabs on all hemp and marijuana grown in the state. The bill, SB 029, stipulates that “the technology must include an agent that is applied to a marijuana plant, marijuana product, industrial hemp, or industrial hemp product and then scanned by a device.” Further details are vague, largely because the tracking agent in question has not even been developed yet. The bill would task Colorado State University Pueblo with developing the tracking agent, after which the state would designate a sole vendor to sell the product. Law enforcement agencies would then be able to purchase this technology using grants from cannabis sales tax revenue.
The proposed bill has already drawn criticism from numerous advocates and industry leaders, who are understandably worried about the application of an unknown chemical to a product that is meant for human consumption. Larisa Bolivar, executive director of the state’s Cannabis Consumer Coalition, told Westword that “most cannabis consumers aren’t going to like the thought of something being sprayed on their weed.” Representatives from several local dispensaries also expressed their concern over the idea, calling the bill “fucking crazy” and “ludicrous.”
Colorado has been one of the most progressive states in terms of marijuana legalization and has produced lots of great supporting statistics for other states to weigh whether they should legalize cannabis as well. If Colorado elects to move forward with this chemical tracking agent, will other states follow suit?
Read more: https://goo.gl/TXEdTb
Tags
chemical tracking agentColorado senateColorado State University PuebloGov. John Hickenlooper
