The cannabis industry is facing a serious mold crisis that is devastating to cannabis businesses. Contaminated cannabis products are making their way onto dispensary shelves, aided in part by testing laboratories manipulating results to help products pass state-mandated safety thresholds, a scandal increasingly referred to as “labgate.”
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Despite regulatory requirements, some labs overlook dangerous mold counts to protect their business relationships, resulting in unsafe flower making its way into the marketplace. For cultivators, a failed test means financial loss, as flagged products in systems like Metrc must be remediated, extracted, or chucked completely, leading to price erosion and reduced profit margins. At the heart of this crisis are inconsistent state regulations and weak enforcement.
But while headlines focus on lab fraud and product recalls, there’s less conversation about viable solutions. But there are two key fixes: enforce existing state-mandated regulatory requirements for mold or cultivators adopt a post-harvest decontamination protocol as part of their SOPs, ensuring flower is free of harmful pathogens before reaching consumers.
Mold Contamination is a Widespread Issue
Although states require cannabis testing, enforcement is inconsistent, and some labs are complicit in ignoring high mold counts due to the impact it could have on their business.
Massachusetts is currently losing its fight with mold. In February 2025, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission issued a consumer safety alert after mold-contaminated flower was found in retail stores. The issue isn’t limited to lab malpractice; cannabis businesses also contribute to the problem by pressuring labs to pass contaminated products or by employing unsafe cultivation practices. A cannabis worker in Massachusetts recounted being told to “pick the moldy pieces off, then put the rest of it into a container to be sold.”
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This mold problem is not unique to Massachusetts. In Colorado, businesses are permitted to self-select the samples they send to third-party labs. These samples are often decontaminated prior to testing, or companies partner with labs known to produce favorable results. Alarmingly, some companies skip testing altogether, choosing instead to pay fines rather than protect consumer safety. This trend signals that financial penalties alone are not enough of a deterrent.
Regulatory Oversight Fails to Keep Pace
While some states like California require labs, not growers, to collect test samples to ensure they are representative of a given batch, oversight still falls short. A whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former state lab regulator alleges she was terminated for pressing California’s Department of Cannabis Control to investigate claims of pesticide-contaminated cannabis.
Across the country, product recalls due to mold, pesticides, and other contaminants are becoming more common, exposing the vulnerabilities in state testing systems.
Signs of Progress in Cannabis Safety
Some states are beginning to address the issue with meaningful reforms. New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission recently adopted new rules to strengthen product testing. These include reducing batch sizes from 100 to 33.07 pounds to ensure more representative sampling, banning lab shopping, and standardizing testing methods for mold, pesticides, and heavy metals.
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In California, the newly formed nonprofit Environmental & Consumer Compliance Organization (ECCO) provides an independent certification for clean cannabis. Participating companies agree to random monthly testing and unannounced product sampling from dispensary shelves. So far, 13 companies have joined since ECCO began operations in January 2025, signaling a growing commitment to consumer safety and transparency.
The Case for Technology-Based Decontamination
Regulators must either more strictly enforce microbial regulations or the industry must proactively implement a microbial decontamination step before products reach testing labs. Mold is an unavoidable part of agricultural production; it spreads via air, water, and human contact. Even the most sanitized grow rooms can’t guarantee total mold prevention.
That’s why a decontamination step, akin to milk pasteurization, is critical for product safety. But adoption of a decontamination step is spotty because it’s not mandated by state regulations, making it easy for growers to skip this extra step. Fortunately, technologies like Radio Frequency (RF) treatment provide an effective and non-invasive solution.
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Radio Frequency Technology
Unlike chemical or irradiation-based remediation, which can alter the product’s taste, smell, or potency, Radio Frequency technology eliminates mold and bacteria while preserving the flower quality. Companies like Ziel have created machines that have a greater than 99 percent pass rate and treat up to 160 pounds of cannabis per 8-hour shift, without using gas, chemicals, or X-rays. This offers a consistent, scalable solution to mold decontamination.
Industry-Wide Action on ‘Labgate’ Is Long Overdue
While scandals like labgate dominate headlines, effective solutions like microbial decontamination technology and stronger regulatory frameworks remain outside the conversation. It’s time for regulators, labs, and businesses alike to prioritize public health and industry integrity. Whether through stronger oversight or proactive microbial control, the tools to fix this problem already exist; the question is whether the industry will choose to use them.
*This article was submitted by a guest contributor. The author is solely responsible for the content.