According to an October 31 announcement by the Department of Public Health & Environment, health inspectors witnessed a gnarly spider mite infestation during a visit to Titan Health, a Denver cannabis cultivation. The health advisory was the department's first alert related to cannabis in over three years.
The DDPHE did not detail when the inspection took place, or when the flagged cannabis was harvested. Titan Health, which operates two Denver dispensaries by the name of Uherbs (also known as Universal Herbs), could not be reached for comment.
The safety advisory wasn't issued by the state Marijuana Enforcement Division, which issues the recalls in Colorado, and the DDPHE doesn't have the authority to authorize a product disposal order in this case, according to the city's licensing department, because Titan Health was sold before DDPHE could receive court approval for an official recall.
"Due to a district court-ordered receivership, DDPHE lacks authority to order disposal of the affected product without permission from the court, and the business has indicated it has sold the affected marijuana before DDPHE could obtain such approval," according to the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses Department. "While some of the products sold by Titan Health, LLC d/b/a 'Uherbs' may not be affected by spider mites, DDPHE is unable to discern and advise on specific batches that are not affected."
All cannabis produced by Titan Health will have one of the following cultivation license numbers: 403R-00808 (recreational) or 403-00395 (medical).
State Department of Revenue records show limited active ownership entity linked to Titan Health or Uherbs; all owner licenses but one are listed as "expired," "suspended" or "void."
According to Excise & Licenses, Colorado cannabis laboratories don't currently test products for spider mite biomass, web or excrement contaminants, although labs are supposed to report cannabis with visible pest or mildew contamination.
"The short- and long-term health effects of ingesting cannabis plant material affected by spider mite infestation have not been studied and are currently unknown," the department adds. "However, studies surrounding exposure to spider mites have indicated a potential increased risk of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, or other respiratory illnesses."
The DDPHE announcement notes that there have been no reports of illness or adverse health reactions, but both Denver departments encourage consumers to seek medical attention if illness occurs, and report any health events by filling out an MED consumer report form or emailing the DDPHE at [email protected].
This is just the second time in nearly a decade of recreational cannabis sales that the DDPHE has issued a safety notice over spider mites, with the first taking place in 2017. The DDPHE stopped cannabis site inspections in 2020 because of pandemic-related employment cutbacks, according to public information officer Amber Campbell, but resumed inspections in the fall of 2022.
Westword has obtained video and photos from inside the grow showing the alleged infestation; see them below:
