Winnipeg cannabis grower Bonify recalls weed sold in Saskatchewan

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This article was published 12/12/2018 (2853 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg-based licensed cannabis producer Bonify has issued a voluntary recall for some marijuana that was sold in Saskatchewan, citing a problem with paperwork that’s meant to prove the drug passed laboratory testing for contamination.

The recall notice, issued December 7, covers two lots of cannabis dubbed “Cherry Lime” and “Warlock Kush”. About 52 units of the Bonify product were sold at three different Saskatchewan cannabis stores in late November: Cannabis Co. in Regina, Spiritleaf in Moosejaw, and The Pot Shack in Saskatoon.

The recalled products “may not meet some of the microbial and chemical contaminant limits” set out by Canada’s federal cannabis regulations, according to the notice.

A spokeswoman for federal cannabis regulator Health Canada explained that every lot of regulated cannabis must undergo testing for levels of naturally occuring microbial contaminants like bacteria, and some licensed cannabis producers do that testing through third-party analytical laboratories.

“The voluntary recall was initiated as Bonify could not verify that the lots in question had passed testing as the lot numbers were not present on the Certificate of Analysis,” wrote Tammy Jarbeau in an emailed statement. 

“Bonify has taken action to address this issue by notifying Health Canada, voluntarily recalling product from the marketplace, and continuing to investigate this incident. Health Canada is also reviewing this situation.”

Bonify declined to be interviewed for this story, but provided a brief statement saying the recall was initiated “out of an abundance of caution to ensure the accuracy of the paperwork associated with this product released to Saskatchewan between November 20 and November 30.”

“No other provinces are affected and the voluntary recall only applies to this specific batch of dried cannabis,” said Bonify’s statement.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience caused by this and, without question, hold the safety and quality of our products to the highest of standards.”

Asked specifically whether the recalled cannabis had been tested by an analytical laboratory or not, a spokeswoman said Bonify wouldn’t comment “until their internal review of the paperwork is complete.”

Health Canada spokeswoman Tammy Jarbeau said federally-licensed cannabis companies that contravene federal regulations could be subject to regulatory actions that run the gamut from educational measures to formal warning letters, licence suspensions or cancellations, ministerial orders like recalls or tests, or administrative penalties of up to $1 million.

The Bonify recall is the second recall of government-regulated cannabis since the drug was legalized for recreational use in October. Ontario-based cannabis producer RedeCan issued a recall on November 30 for one lot of dried cannabis, sold in Ontario and B.C., that was found to contain mould.

Health Canada received one formal complaint about mould in RedeCan cannabis, according to a recall notice. The regulator hasn’t received any complaints about Bonify’s recalled product.

The lot numbers of the recalled Bonify cannabis are 2018-84-078 and 2018-84-079, and can be found on the original packaging.

solomon.israel@theleafnews.com   

@sol_israel