Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) announced a voluntary recall of a number of cannabis-infused edible products sold under Viola Brands in Michigan dispensaries due to potency and packaging concerns.
Over 9,000 packages of Viola brand edibles sold at dispensaries in Ann Arbor, Hazel Park, Detroit and Coleman have been pulled from store shelves “due to non-compliant creation and packaging. During an investigation, the licensee was unable to demonstrate that the product was homogenous. In addition, the product exceeds the maximum allowable THC concentration per serving,” according to the CRA. Dispensaries that were affected by the recall must leave the recall notice up on sales floors, visible to all consumers, for 30 days from the announcement of the recall.
The recalled products include products from the “Viola Grandma’s Kitchen” line of cannabis-infused gummies, with products coming in four flavors named Big Apple Dreaming, Paradise Island, Uptown Espresso and Auntie’s Punch. Viola launched the recalled edible cannabis products in Michigan near the end of 2022 through a partnership with Puff Cannabis.
The CRA also noted nearly 2,150 recalled packages have already been sold to consumers. Customers who have purchased the products and not yet consumed them are encouraged to return the products to the dispensaries so they can be destroyed.
“Consumers who have these products in their possession should return them to the marijuana sales location for proper disposal. Consumers who have experienced adverse reactions after using these products should report their symptoms and product use to their healthcare providers. Consumers are encouraged to also report any adverse reactions to marijuana product to the CRA by completing this Adverse Reaction Form and submitting it according to the instructions included or by phone at 517-2848599,” said the CRA.
An external complaint about the packaging of the products is what led to the investigation. CRA spokesman David Harns said the packaging issues included listing the THC content per serving as 20mg, which is in excess of the allowable 10 mg per serving limit; failure to list ingredients; missing language to clarify that the products are in fact cannabis edible products; and the use of the Kool-Aid Man image, which may potentially entice children into getting into the products. Under Michigan law, cannabis-infused edibles are limited to 200mg per package to be more aligned with the strength of medical cannabis products, but are limited to 10mg per dose or gummy.
While the products are sold under the Viola brand, Michigan law requires the products to be produced by a licensed business within the state. The licensed processor of the recalled gummies working with Viola is SBCMI, which operates under the name Shango. CRA rules state that tested potency of products must be within 15 percent of the stated potency in order to pass testing. Last year, the CRA filed complaints against Viridis Laboratories, one of the leading lab testing companies in the state, due to discrepancies in test results.
“At Viola, our customers and community are at the heart of everything we do,” said Viola spokesperson Jocelyn Padgett. “Ensuring their safety and maintaining our own high standards of our products remains our top mission. We entered into an agreement with Shango, which they assured would enable us to fulfill the high demand for our much-anticipated edibles. Viola has consistently adhered to compliance standards, and it came as a surprise to us that our partner did not share the same commitment.”
Michigan’s CRA previously recalled other cannabis edible products in the state following a review of the products by the agency. The edibles, named “The Weed Bar” failed to disclose that it was in fact a cannabis edible product on the packaging with the agency claiming that the name alone was not explicit enough. The products were also recalled due to containing 200mg of THC per serving.
