“Pesticide-free” pot in lieu of “organic”

Consumers would know whether marijuana or hemp was grown without the use of pesticides under a bill proposed Wednesday in the legislature.

HB16-1079 would require the state Department of Agriculture to devise a program in which independent companies would certify which cannabis is pesticide-free, and it would require special labeling consumers can see.

Marijuana growers are forestalled from using the term “organic” for their product even if they use certifiable organic practices. That’s because use of the term and the certification necessary to acquire it is controlled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because cannabis remains illegal under federal law, no marijuana or hemp can be designated legally as organic.

“I’m all for a certification that ensures to consumers that the final product they’ve purchased truly is pesticide-free,” said Devin Liles, head of cultivation at The Farm in Boulder.

The issue, however, is confusing organic with pesticide-free, Liles said.

“As (the bill) is written, it runs the risk of perpetuating the common misconception that organic is synonymous with pesticidefree,” he said. “There are organic pesticides that are comprised of essential oils that are perfectly safe to use, not necessarily in (marijuana) flower development.”

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jonathan Singer, DLongmont, and Rep. KC Becker, D-Boulder, would extend to pesticide-free facilities where cannabis is processed.

The Denver Post in September reported that state Attorney General Cynthia Hoffman’s office was investigating marijuana business owners using the word “organic” in their name or advertising.

The concern was that consumers might be misled. No details of the ongoing inquiry have been released.