Cannabis plants at Vibe Cultivators, an indoor growing facility and dispensary in Sacramento, Calif., are about 2 weeks away from harvest. California’s cannabis regulator inspects facilities like this regularly in an effort to keep contaminants out of the weed supply. At Vibe Cultivators, an indoor cannabis farm in Sacramento, the first thing to hit you is the smell. Earthy, skunky, whatever you want to call it, that is some pungent weed.
There are aisles of plants, growing on two levels under artificial lights. They have names like Gelato 33 and Alien Runtz.
"As you can see, all our plants are tagged," says Brian Prichard, Vibe’s entrepreneur in residence. Vaping weed is very popular, but users should be aware it carries risks
Chemicals, pesticides and intense concentrations are all things that may be in the liquid versions of marijuana that are vaporized and inhaled. The state-sanctioned tags are a sign this isn’t weed grown by a guy who knows a guy. They contain the name of the state-licensed grower, the license number and an ID number just for the plant, so cannabis regulators can keep track of it.
Check out the rest of the series: How safe is your weed?
Things have changed since the days before California legalized marijuana, Prichard says. Back then, he had to be secretive about his work, which meant asking for help was challenging. Rows of carefully tagged plants grow at Vibe Cultivators in Sacramento. The industry is largely supportive of California’s push to regulate it and keep harmful products from hitting the market. "Before, you know, I’d go to Home Depot and I’d tell them, ‘I need this part and this part to make something.’ Well, they want to know what I’m making. ‘Well, I can’t tell you… I just need these parts,’" Prichard says.
Now, he can just ask for information, even from state regulators.
The California Department of Cannabis Control officially formed in 2021, combining what various other state agencies were doing to stay on top of the newly formed legal weed industry in the state. One of its primary jobs is to keep weed safe. […]
Could legal weed make you sick? Here’s how California tries to keep it safe
