The sponsor of a bill to combat the use of banned pesticides at illegal marijuana grow sites argued at a hearing on Thursday that the legislation will protect the health of consumers—especially medical cannabis patients.
The House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee took up the bill from Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), which was introduced earlier this month.
While the idea of yet another stepped up federal effort to crack down on illegal cannabis production might seem like an extension of prohibitionist enforcement at a surface level, the lawmakers have said that the primary intent of the Targeting and Offsetting Existing Illegal Contaminants (TOXIC) Act is consumer safety and environmental protection.
Peters said at Thursday’s hearing that “when cannabis plants are treated with illegal pesticides, the chemicals can be absorbed by the plant and ultimately end up in the consumer product.”
“Consuming cannabis that has been treated with illegal pesticides can trigger a range of negative health effects from lingering nausea and respiratory problems to acute sickness,” the congressman said. “This is particularly concerning for medical cannabis users who rely on the plant for relief from symptoms associated with various medical conditions, but may struggle to afford
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