ome packages of medical marijuana gummies produced in Illinois have been pulled from dispensary shelves and destroyed because of what appeared to be mold, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
State officials said there have been no reported illnesses related to the edible medical marijuana product, and affected packages should no longer be in circulation. Agriculture Department spokeswoman Rebecca Clark said customers should already have been notified.
"Dispensaries will notify patients who purchased the product to advise them to inspect the product for any abnormalities," she said.
An official with Ataraxia, the company that produced the gummies at its downstate marijuana cultivation center, said internal quality control procedures revealed that a new type of packaging allowed moisture inside a small number of 100 mg gummy multipacks. Three affected packages have been reported statewide, according to Ataraxia.
The company said the packaging issue has been resolved and that its gummy products now in dispensaries should be fine.
Clark said the Agriculture Department did not know how many dispensaries or patients were affected. She added that the state does not consider this a recall but rather "a destruction recommendation based on any visible abnormalities."
Ataraxia, based in Albion, Ill., said it has voluntarily offered to replace the medicine as a precaution.
"We apologize for any inconvenience and remain committed to delivering the highest quality medical cannabis in Illinois," said Ross Morreale, Ataraxia chief compliance officer, in a statement.