Cannabis Regulator Whistleblower Sues California, Alleges Retaliation After Reporting Lab Testing Misconduct

Tanisha Bogans, a former deputy director at California’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination after raising concerns about misconduct in the state's cannabis testing labs.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that Bogans was fired in January 2024 after pushing for action on reports of testing labs falsifying THC potency results and covering up product contamination, reported Green Market Report.

Bogans, who was hired in December 2022 to oversee lab compliance, alleges that her superiors –DCC Director Nicole Elliott and Chief Deputy Director Rasha Salama – ignored multiple warnings from labs and industry groups about systemic issues.

In June 2023, U.S. Cannabis Laboratories alerted the DCC to widespread THC potency inflation, claiming that labs were inflating numbers to satisfy brand clients, which could mislead consumers and undermine the legal market.

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Despite these warnings, Bogans claims that her superiors refused to act.

She also reported finding evidence of pesticides and even fentanyl in products sold in licensed dispensaries.

After contacting the Department of Justice (DOJ) about the violations, Bogans says she was reprimanded and later excluded from key meetings.

The lawsuit also alleges that a whistleblower informed Bogans in December 2023 that Gold Mountain Distribution, co-owned by La Puente City Councilman David Argudo, was operating without proper licenses.

Bogans claims her attempts to report this were ignored, and she was terminated the following month.

The lawsuit seeks damages for whistleblower retaliation and emotional distress.

Recently, a lab in California did not get its license renewed due to accusations of fake test results .

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