LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — The state of Michigan has put a temporary stop to the sale of licensed marijuana vapes while they conduct more testing.
According to the Michigan Marijuana Regulator Agency, the emergency rules issued on Friday are aimed at ensuring public health, safety and welfare of adults using marijuana.
According to the rules, all inactive ingredients added to marijuana products must be clearly listed, and licensees are prohibited from using inactive ingredients not approved by the FDA.
Also, the MRA said that the ingredients can't exceed the maximum concentration listed on the FDA active ingredient database.
According to the department, the MRA will inspect processing facilities twice a month to make sure they are in compliance, and will require licensed safety compliance facilities to test for vitamin E acetate, which is what is believed to be causing the vaping lung injuries.
“It is absolutely vital that patients and consumers know, with certainty, the ingredients in the products that they are using,” said Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist. “These rules require stringent testing and will continue to prioritize the health and safety of Michiganders.”
Effective immediately, facilities can't sell a marijuana product intended for vaping unless the product has received a passing test under the rules, or the product was produced in a licensed processor after the effective date of the rules and is compliance with all rules from the MRA.
“Prohibiting additives that could cause harm to human health is a step forward in efforts to protect the public during this outbreak of lung injury cases,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
So far, the state health department has identified 55 cases of lung injures associated to vaping, with one patient requiring a double lung transplant at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital
About 88 percent of the patients reporting used a product with THC.
