An assortment of aromas fill the air at the District Cannabis grow facility in Hagerstown, Md. Pien Huang/NPR hide caption
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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. Preston Gannaway for NPR hide caption
Could legal weed make you sick? Here's how California tries to keep it safe
Cannabis is legal in many states but not federally. As more Americans consume weed products, concern is growing about the risks of traces of contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals. Cecilia Sanchez/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
How safe is your weed? Patchy regulations may leave contaminants in the weed supply
Joe Ciulla handles Ript gummies before they're packaged at the Ripple Cannabis Co.'s production facility in Commerce City, Colo. Kevn J. Beaty/Denverite hide caption
Even where weed is legal, product safety isn't guaranteed
Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is displayed in a shop in Cherokee, N.C., on Nov. 2. On Election Day, legalizing the recreational use of cannabis is on the ballot in three states. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
A new scientific report finds that the gap between federal and state regulations on cannabis is leading to emerging problems with public health Jim Mone/AP hide caption
Lisk Feng for NPR hide caption
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco says legalization has increased incentives for unlicensed cannabis farms and associated violent crime. Martin Kaste/NPR hide caption
Black market cannabis thrives in California despite legalization
A cannabis dispensary operated by the Union Square Travel Agency in New York City in October 2023. The dispensary hires formerly incarcerated and legacy cannabis operators. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images hide caption
People walk through Amsterdam's red-light district shortly after it reopened in 2020, during the pandemic. The neighborhood attracts millions of tourists each year. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images hide caption
Cannabis candies, made to look appealing, are being ingested by children under 6, sending some kids to the hospital. Most of the children found the edible weed at their own homes. Eva Marie Uzcategu/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption
Chris Alexander, executive director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, shows off the first purchase of cannabis gummies bought at Housing Works — New York's first legal cannabis dispensary, during a press conference to kick-off its opening on Thursday. Bebeto Matthews/AP hide caption
Jars of marijuana line a shelf at The Flower Shop Dispensary in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Oct. 14, 2022. South Dakota's legal pot industry has started with medical cannabis, but voters are deciding whether to also legalize recreational pot. Stephen Groves/AP hide caption
The first customer of the day, Rittipomng Bachkul celebrates after buying legal marijuana at the Highland Cafe in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, June 9, 2022. Sakchai Lalit/AP hide caption
Delta-8-THC is derived from the cannabidiol (CBD) in hemp plants. MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Marijuana dispensary manager LeRoy Roybal, right, and bud tender Benjamin Oliver prepare on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, for the opening of New Mexico's regulated market for recreational cannabis at a Minerva Canna store in Santa Fe, N.M. Morgan Lee/AP hide caption
A Mississippi senator holds a bag of hemp product used by Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven to illustrate to lawmakers what specific portions of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Equivalency Units would look like in January. Rogelio V. Solis/AP hide caption
Delta-8-THC is derived from the cannabidiol (CBD) in hemp plants. Gillian Flaccus/AP hide caption
U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, is co-sponsoring a GOP plan that would regulate marijuana like alcohol and enable the Department of Veterans Affairs to prescribe cannabis treatments to veterans. Mark Duncan/AP hide caption
Legal Weed Is Gaining A Little Ground Among GOP Congressmen
Washington is offering free, pre-rolled joints to adults who get the COVID-19 vaccine. Here, a person smokes a joint in The Netherlands. Robin Van Lonkhuijsen/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
More than 30 states have medical marijuana programs — yet scientists are only allowed to use cannabis plants from one U.S. source for their research. That's set to change, as the federal government begins to add more growers to the mix. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption
Photo released by the City of London Police showing the first "cannabis factory" discovered in the City. City of London Police hide caption
A worker picks Cannabis inside a greenhouse on Nov. 10, in Kasese, Uganda. Uganda is one of several African countries looking to produce medical cannabis for export to Europe and America. On Wednesday, the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to reclassify cannabis. Luke Dray/Getty Images hide caption
Cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon cannabis-infused lemon seltzer are non-alcoholic, with 5mg of THC. A four-pack costs $24. Pabst Labs hide caption