Ground Cannabis Dust Is A Hazardous Chemical, Confirms Massachusetts Regulator

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission issued new recommendations Wednesday through a bulletin designed to improve workplace health and safety at marijuana processing facilities and broadly across the legal industry.

The announcement represents the Commission's formal recognition of ground cannabis dust as a hazardous chemical that can irritate the respiratory system and exposed skin and marks a major step towards updating Massachusetts' workplace safety expectations following the 2022 occupational asthma death of a Holyoke processing facility employee.

"Today's bulletin is intended to bring increased awareness of an identified health risk in the marijuana industry and will support Commission and industry efforts to enhance safety standards across Massachusetts," stated commission acting executive director/chief people officer Debbie Hilton-Creek. "We will continue to partner with licensees to appropriately and effectively communicate this message and depend on them to implement protocols that will protect the overall well-being of our workforce."

Under the new bulletin, the Commission recommends that all licensees engaged in marijuana processing follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines around hazardous chemicals in the workplace. The Commission also reminds licensees of its obligation to have a hazard communication program which includes the evaluation of hazardous chemicals in its facility and develop Safety Data Sheets to inform its employees.

Going forward, the Commission is advising licensees engaged in marijuana processing to protect employees from hazards associated with cannabis dust exposure by using engineering controls like local exhaust ventilation, plus administrative controls like limiting employee exposure during the workday. The Commission recommends that licensees provide personal protective equipment, and appropriately manage medical situations when they arise.

What Happened: On Jan. 4, 2022, 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. 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 cannabis giant Trulieve TCNNF committed three “serious” violations assessed by OSHA for which it paid fines totaling $35,219.

In June, the Commission 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 Commission, agreeing to a fine in the amount of $350,000.

Read Also: Mother Of Deceased Cannabis Worker Sues Marijuana Giant Claiming Wrongful Death And Negligence

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Safety And Sanitary Standards

Today's update follows a state Department of Public Health (DPH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) report and Occupational Lung Disease Bulletin that were issued following McMurrey's death.

As the first confirmed case of occupational asthma in a cannabis facility, the CDC report said the incident "illustrates missed opportunities for prevention, including control of workplace exposures, medical surveillance, and treatment according to current asthma guidelines." 

The previous DPH report also included recommendations for marijuana cannabis processors, including training all employees about how to work safely around hazardous materials, developing comprehensive health and safety programs, and monitoring employees for health symptoms.

The Commission's latest announcement relative to cannabis dust follows a February bulletin that advised licensees about new safety and sanitary standards for processing the leaves and flowers of female marijuana plants in a way that is:

• Well cured and free from seeds and stems;
• Free of dirt, sand, debris, and other foreign matter;
• Free of contamination by mold, rot, other fungus, pests and bacterial diseases and satisfying the sanitation requirements in 105 CMR 500.000, and if applicable, 105 CMR 590.000: State Sanitary Code Chapter X – Minimum Sanitation Standards for Food Establishments;
• Prepared and handled on food-grade stainless steel tables with no contact with Licensees' or Marijuana Establishment Agents' bare hands; and
• Packaged in a secure area.

Commission's new bulletin clarifies that all licensees engaged in the processing of marijuana have a separate obligation to ensure the safety of workers, and all marijuana establishments and medical marijuana treatment centers in Massachusetts are required to follow Commission regulations that require written workplace safety and health standard operating procedures.

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Photo: Courtesy of CRYSTALWEED cannabis on Unsplash