What consumers need to know about cannabis recalls

Cannabis recalls remove adulterated or misbranded cannabis goods from the licensed market. This page explains how consumers can use the Recalls Portal to check whether a cannabis good has been recalled, what to look for on the product label and what to do if they have a recalled product.

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Overview

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announces cannabis recalls to quickly remove cannabis and cannabis products, otherwise referred to as cannabis goods, from the licensed market when they do not meet standards established by the Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act and DCC regulations. Recalls begin when a licensee discovers or is notified by DCC that a cannabis good is adulterated or misbranded — otherwise referred to as an affected cannabis good. When DCC has evidence that a cannabis good is misbranded or adulterated, we notify the licensee responsible for the cannabis good.

Regardless of whether the licensee discovers the adulterated or misbranded cannabis good, or they receive a Notice of Adulterated or Misbranded Cannabis Goods (recall notice) from DCC, the licensee must immediately implement their recall procedures and may conduct a voluntary recall.

DCC may issue a mandatory recall and require the licensee to immediately cease distribution of an affected cannabis good if all of the following apply:

• The cultivation, manufacture, distribution or sale of the cannabis goods creates or poses an immediate and serious threat to human life or health.
• Other procedures available to DCC to remedy or prevent the occurrence of the situation would result in an unreasonable delay.

Reasons a cannabis good is considered adulterated

A cannabis good may be considered adulterated for any of the following reasons, including but not limited to:

• It tests positive for a prohibited species of Aspergillus
• It exceeds regulatory limits for a pesticide or residual solvent
• It was produced in unsanitary conditions
• It contains harmful or restricted substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids or prohibited ingredients
• The actual amount of terpenoids, total THC or total CBD is different from what’s listed on the label, or is higher than the amount permitted in consumer products
• The type of product is prohibited from being sold in the cannabis market
• The methods, facilities or controls used during cultivation, manufacture, packing or holding do not conform to, or are not operated or administered in conformity with DCC regulations, for example, being produced without good manufacturing practices
• It was mixed with additional ingredients, or additional ingredients were substituted after regulatory compliance testing

More information about adulterated cannabis goods can be found in Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 26039.6.

Reasons a cannabis good is considered misbranded

Cannabis goods are considered misbranded for the following reasons, including but not limited to:

• The label is false or misleading
• The cannabis good was cultivated, processed, manufactured, packaged or held in a location that is not properly licensed
• The product, packaging or labeling is attractive to people under 21 years of age
• The labeling or packaging doesn’t follow cannabis regulations (for example, missing allergens or serving instructions)

More information about misbranded cannabis goods can be found in BPC section 26039.5.

How will you know if a cannabis good has been recalled?

DCC notifies the public about recalled cannabis goods via email, the Recalls Portal, and social media. Subscribe to DCC’s email list to receive consumer advisories about recalled products. Consumer advisories are also posted on DCC’s Facebook, X, Threads and Instagram accounts.

Consumers who think they might have a recalled cannabis good should visit our Recalls Portal and do the following:

1. Use the search feature at the top of the page to find recalled cannabis goods by brand, recall reason, license number or product type (such as flower, edible, vape cartridge).
2. If you find a recall that looks like your product, compare the batch number and unique identifier (UID) number on the recall page to those on your label. If they match, your cannabis good is affected and has been recalled.

If you have questions, contact the retailer where you purchased the cannabis good.

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