Cannabis Control Commission Alerts the Public to Quarantine Order Requiring ACK Natural, LLC to recall its Marijuana and Marijuana Products

WORCESTER—The Cannabis Control Commission (Commission) is alerting patients and consumers to its quarantine order (Order), issued October 18, 2021, mandating that ACK Natural, LLC, a colocated medical- and adult-use licensee, recall all products with unverifiable mycotoxin test results sold to its consumers and patients. Mycotoxins are contaminants that licensees are required to screen for to uphold public health, safety, and welfare.

The Commission’s quarantine order succeeded an Administrative Hold, issued on October 4, 2021, which restrained ACK Natural, LLC from selling, transporting, transferring, or destroying any Marijuana or Marijuana Product with unverifiable mycotoxin testing results. The licensee, which commenced operations in July 2021, voluntarily closed its dispensary and retail store to the public in October 2021.

Among the actions required under the quarantine order, ACK Natural, LLC was directed to immediately post the document to all public entrances of its establishment. The Commission continues to actively monitor the licensee’s compliance with the conditions of the Order including the licensee’s Standard Operating Procedures relative to product recalls and notification to the public.

To date, no related illnesses have been reported to the Commission. ACK Natural, LLC recently disclosed that there are quarantined product packages for which verifiable test results cannot be produced because they were fully sold. As a result, the agency is now elevating public awareness of this Order as a precautionary measure so that patients and consumers who purchased Marijuana and/or Marijuana Products from the licensee know that they should not consume them and ensure proper storage, or make arrangements with ACK Natural, LLC to return recalled products.

The Commission requires all licensees to test Marijuana and Marijuana Products for their cannabinoid profile and contaminants of concern. All businesses located in the Counties of Dukes County and Nantucket including ACK Natural, LLC, must test all Marijuana and Marijuana Products for mycotoxins and pesticides, and use product labels disclosing the following, “WARNING: LIMITED TESTING FOR CONTAMINANTS AND PESTICIDES.”

Island licensees are subject to modified testing protocols because they are prevented by federal Marijuana prohibition to transport Marijuana and Marijuana Products to the ISO-accredited Independent Testing Laboratories currently located on mainland Massachusetts. There are currently no ISO-accredited Independent Testing Laboratories located on Nantucket. However, island licensees are still required to test products in a manner that adequately protects the public health, safety, and welfare.

Any patient or consumer who has purchased product from ACK Natural, LLC and is not able to make arrangements to return recalled product should contact the business at (508) 901-5225 or info@acknat.com, or the Commission at (774) 415-0200 or Commission@CCCMass.com.

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