Las Vegas marijuana testing lab shut down, health advisory issued

A Las Vegas marijuana testing lab was shut down Friday, and a public health warning has been issued for several tainted cannabis products approved by the lab, the Nevada Department of Taxation announced.

The state closed CANNEX Nevada LLC, pending a review of its lab practices.

The public health advisory noted yeast and mold at more than triple the allowable limit on two strains: Island OG #3 (batch/lot: F1D19IslandOG3051619/1A40403000002A5000042651) and Lemon Meringue (F3D19LemonMeringue053019/1A40403000002A5000046114).

The batch and lot numbers are printed near the top of each package.

It also detected aspergillus flavus in the THC Bomb (THC BOMB-10-19-2019-H251/256-BUD-A) strain and many times the allowable limit of bile-tolerant, gram-negative bacteria and total coliforms in Zombie Kush (082119B56/ABZK02).

The state believes the tainted marijuana was sold in flower and pre-rolled forms at the following locations: Nevada Wellness Center, 3200 S. Valley View Blvd. in Las Vegas; MMJ America, 4660 S. Decatur Blvd. in Las Vegas; Deep Roots Harvest, 195 Willis Carrier Canyon in Mesquite; Las Vegas Releaf, 2244 Paradise Road in Las Vegas; Rise, 135 Clearview Drive Suite 119 in Carson City; and Thrive Cannabis Marketplace, 2755 Cheyenne Ave. Suite 103 in North Las Vegas.

The dispensaries and growers of the affected cannabis do not appear to have known the products exceeded allowable limits, the state said. CANNEX gave each a passing grade.

Affected strains should be particularly avoided by those with compromised immune systems, the state said. There have not been any reports of illness.

The shutdown comes after the state launched an investigation into the high yeast and mold levels in September.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.