Marijuana Giant Fined $350K In Relation To Worker's Death, Commission Says Trulieve Failed To Comply With Several Safety Protocols

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) fined medical marijuana giant Trulieve TCNNF in relation to the death of a company's employee in 2022. A company representative signed a tentative settlement with CCC, agreeing to a fine in the amount of $350,000.

What Happened: On Jan. 4, Lorna McMurrey (27) complained she could not breathe, presumably due to cannabis kief (cannabis dust) in the air where she was grinding and packaging pre-rolls. She was taken to a local hospital where she died on Jan. 7, 2022. According to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this was the first known case of an occupational asthma death in the U.S. cannabis industry. The report confirmed that the occupational asthma was triggered by ground cannabis dust, and revealed that Trulieve committed three "serious" violations assessed by OSHA for which it paid fines totaling $35,219.

‘Failed To Comply' Several Safety Protocols

Now, the CCC's report indicates that Trulieve had "failed to comply" with several safety protocols, including "process Marijuana in a safe and sanitary manner," through 2021 and into 2022, writes MjBizDaily.

"Respondent [Trulieve] operated the Mobius Mill and Rocketbox, machines that generate substantial amounts of Marijuana dust, in a small, fully enclosed room filled with production equipment and near multiple agents without policies or adequate PPE to protect workers from potential hazards," reads the CCC's report.

The commission also concluded at the time of McMurrey's death, that workers wore blue surgical masks due to COVID-19, and the "respondent did not implement and enforce its own safety recommendations and requirements from Job Safety Analyses for Processing activities including, but not limited to, PPE."

In October 2022, the company released an official statement on the incident saying "We believe we have demonstrated a safe and healthy work environment, but we will of course work with OSHA and the Massachusetts CCC to address their concerns." The company also stated at the time that on the day of the incident, McMurrey, wore an N95 mask for at least a portion of the day.

Per the CCC, the company also did not "reassess Processing activities in the Pre-Roll Room for hazards or potential mitigation after McMurrey was taken to the hospital on November 9, 2021, for breathing complications while working in the Pre-Roll Room."

Family Filed A Lawsuit

The report also notes that the company failed to offer McMurrey a different position after she came back to work after the first breathing incident she experienced.

In November 2023, Laura Bruneau, the mother of Lorna McMurrey, sued the company claiming wrongful death and negligence. The suit states that "the grinding machines were often operated without air filters and were operated in this manner on the day of the incident."

The CDC report also confirmed that cannabis dust from the grinder was collected by a shop vacuum, but that the "vacuum had no high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, and visible dust escaped."

McMurrey's family is seeking accountability from Trulieve and its contractors for what they view as disregard for employee safety, in the hope of preventing similar incidents in the future. It is asking for a jury trial and unspecified damages. 

The $350k fine paid by Trulieve will go to the same fund as money generated through cannabis sales tax revenue, writes MassLive. Every year, 15% of the fund's revenue is used to support a special cannabis social equity trust fund that helps cannabis business owners from communities most negatively impacted by the War on Drugs.

Trulieve left Massachusetts, putting an end to all its operations last year.

Price Action

Trulieve shares closed Thursday markets session 6.09% lower at $8.95 per share.

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