Cannabis oil cartridges may be facing new scrutiny, thanks to a testing lab in California. Pre-filled cartridges have become one of the most lucrative new sectors of the cannabis industry. For consumers, they’re discrete and easy to use, and they don’t leave any lingering scent. They have become popular with users in all demographics. But in recent months, reports of lead in vape cartidges have raised concerns. Lead is a dangerous neurotoxin that can lower your IQ and make you ill. A new Leafly report details the findings. Where did the lead come from? Maybe producers were cutting corners. Or maybe the cannabis itself can exert an acidic effect on metal. (Over time, the acidic pH in the cannabis oil could be pulling the trace amounts of lead out of the metal inside the cartridge.) This remains unproven. The Center For Disease Control says there is no safe level of lead exposure, but the cannabis industry has been slow to regulate lead levels in products. But California, on January 1, released new regulations on heavy metal levels in cannabis products. Washington’s standard is only 1.2 parts per million (ppm) lead. Oregon doesn’t ban heavy metals in cannabis products at all. California now adheres to a 0.5 ppm lead limitation. This has been exceeded by certain companies. Even CCell cartridges, which are in use by over 70% of cannabis companies in the U.S. are coming back with mixed results. CCell cartridges are allegedly the highest quality cartridges currently in production in China. Out of the thousands of cartridges tested by SC Labs, that only about 0.5% of the carts have failed for lead, according to founder Josh Wurzer. Though the results are varying from lab-to-lab, failed CCell carts are coming back with 0.6 to 0.7ppm lead in them. The ones that are passing are doing so barely at 0.3 to 0.4 ppm lead, which is a legal amount by Washington’s standards, but not California. In China, lead is added to copper and brass frequently to make metal more moldable for electronics. If CCell’s are the best carts coming out of China right now, how much more lead might be in a competitor’s cartridges? Since there’s no set rule about testing for heavy metals in cartridges it makes you wonder how many companies cut corners and bought more cheaply-made containers for their oil. Thanks to the headlines about cartridges, more cannabis companies are learning about this potential hazard. The new lead-free cartridges are not expected to cost consumers more. Will other states follow California’s lead? Or will the industry balk at more strict regulations on lead contamination? We will keep you informed.