Florida Cannabis Full of Fungus

The medical-marijuana company Alpha Foliage, Inc.has recalled a product that was dispensed to patients in July because of a mold fungus, the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medicaid Marijuana Use announced late Tuesday.

Alpha Foliage, which does business as Surterra Wellness, was ordered to recall the product, Granddaddy Purple Whole Flower, due to high levels of Aspergillus, a common indoor and outdoor mold.

The state also ordered the company to notify all patients who received it.

A review of state records shows that Surterra Wellness dispensed 17,448,318 ounces of smokable whole flower medical marijuana, a little more than 545 tons, in July.

The latest available data show that Surterra Wellness had 39 medical marijuana treatment centers, the second-most in the state behind Trulieve, which had 56 locations.

While Aspergillus is a common type of mold, people with weakened immune systems or lung diseases who breathe it in can develop aspergillosis, an infection that causes allergic reactions, lung infections and infections in other organs, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida has 394,898 qualified patients in its medical marijuana use registry and 2,539 physicians qualified to order medical marijuana and low-THC cannabis