Marijuana Leaves Contaminated with Mold, E.Coli, Insect Parts and various Other Pollutants

Researchers from the University of New Haven, Connecticut, analyzed marijuana leaf under 10-times magnification and found that it had a number of really tiny bumps, which were nothing but mold bacteria, not visible to the naked eye.

Not just mold, the leaves were topped with mildew, E. coli, salmonella and even insect parts. What makes this a cause of concern is the legalization of marijuana in most countries. People will be smoking pot without realizing the contamination they are exposing themselves to.

Heather Miller Coyle, a forensic botanist and an associate professor at the university is doing  DNA profiling and analyzing technique for testing the harmful pollutants present in marijuana, which could include all biological pollutants like viruses, mold, fungi and bacteria.

This technique would also help quality testing labs to detect the contaminants and provide its consumers with harmless and hygienic grass, after marijuana quality control testing is introduced in all the countries where marijuana is legal.

 "If there's no certification, ... it's like saying we don't check our meat for mad cow disease," Coyle said in a statement. "That's our goal as a private university, to develop the tools to address or mediate this issue."

The exact after-effects of consuming marijuana contaminated with mold and other micro-organisms are not known yet, Mason Tvert, a Colorado-based spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. explained.

"Although we have not seen significant problems with tainted marijuana in the past, we should certainly be taking steps to make sure it's not a problem in the future," Tvert said.

Different techniques, including the ones which are being used for examining food crops, are being used by various labs throughout  the state to detect the impurities and biological pollutants present in the marijuana leaves to avoid any harm to people smoking pot for medical reasons or for fun.