Maryland cannabis regulators recall bacteria-tainted edibles

Maryland cannabis regulators issued a recall on Tuesday for edibles made by Vireo Health, sold at retailers across the state, that later testing found to be contaminated by bacteria.

According to the Maryland Cannabis Administration, several batches of HiColor Max Chocolate Milk sold across the state from July to September failed tested for total coliforms, which can indicate unsanitary conditions during processing or handling, according to a notice the agency issued on Tuesday.

The MCA recalled Hi Color Max Chocolate Milk sold at several dispensaries across the state:

• Vireo-operated Green Goods shops in Baltimore, Rockville and Frederick.
• Mana in Edgewater.
• Summit Wellness Cannabis Dispensary in Catonsville.
• Kip Dispensary in Cockeysville.
• The Apothecarium Dispensary in Salisbury.
• Green Point dispensaries in Laurel, Linthicum and Millersville.
• Caroline Pharma.

MCA’s advisory urged consumers to check for a “production batch number” to determine whether purchased product is affected by the recall.

Batch numbers “associated with the product name or the individual package number… can be found under the name of the dispensary at which the product was sold,” MCA’s advisory said.

The products were sold between July 5 and Sept. 16, according to the MCA.

Anyone who believes they have purchased an affected product are advised to stop using it immediately, return the product to the retailer where it was purchased, and report any adverse reactions to regulators, officials said.

Most marijuana recalls are issued too late to prevent consumers from using them, according to an analysis MJBizDaily conducted last year.

Maryland launched MMJ sales in 2013. Adult-use sales began in 2023. Combined sales may reach as much as $1.2 billion in 2025, according to an MJBiz Factbook projection.