Last month, California's Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) shut down Sacramento’s first cannabis testing lab. On November 28th, Sequoia Analytical Labs released a public service announcement about their pesticide testing. “During a BCC inspection on Tuesday, November 27, it was discovered that pesticide testing here at Sequoia Analytical Labs was not in compliance with BCC regulations," the release read. California state law mandates that cannabis is tested for 66 pesticides, before it is approved for sale in a dispensary. Sequoia Analytical failed to test for 22 of them.The company blamed faulty lab equipment. But the lab director knew about the faulty instruments, and had been secretly falsifying reports since July, the BCC investigation found. This is alarming. It's nearly impossible to tell if your weed is "safe," just by looking at it. That's why cannabis testing is a huge issue for consumers everywhere. Each state that has legalized cannabis has a different set of testing requirements. Depending on where you live or travel, your cannabis legitimately may or may not be safe. For example, over the last two weeks, Washington State and Canada have been experiencing major issues with cannabis products deemed unfit for consumers. Imagine smoking a vaporizer that included cannabis extract with a pesticide that turns into cyanide when heated up. Or how about smoking bugs or mold? Cannabis with mold spores is 100% not ideal for public consumption and the same can be said for any kind of product that can potentially harm a consumer. When you're buying cannabis, it can be helpful to do some basic research. What kind of farm (or facility) did this pot come from? What kind of pesticides did they use? What pesticides are legally allowed on cannabis in your state? These questions can be especially important for people with compromised immune systems. This post originally appeared at respectmyregion.com.