It is no secret and no longer shocking that people all over the world use, grow and also buy cannabis. Some use it for medicinal purposes, others for recreational fun or relaxation, and this is regardless of whether it is legal or not. A big problem for users arises in countries where cannabis is still illegal, as cannabis users are forced to resort to the uncontrolled black market.
A current example is provided by outdoor growers in US states where medical cannabis is now legal. They sell their weed contaminated with pesticides or mould in states where strict prohibition still prevails because they cannot sell it to dispensaries in their own state due to high quality standards. So patients in non-legalised countries are much more likely to risk consuming weed contaminated with mould or pesticides. American outlets where marijuana is legally grown and sold have strict regulations for laboratory testing and the storage and preservation of medical cannabis. This ensures that only high-quality cannabis that is free of harmful substances and spores is dispensed to patients. This is because patients who use marijuana for medical reasons are particularly dependent on high quality standards because, for example, their immune systems are weakened and therefore less able to compensate for contamination.
Marijuana is a natural product that always contains microorganisms and spores in small quantities. There is no way to completely escape this. In Colorado, it has been found that if cannabis is stored permanently in an airtight container, the microorganisms and spores/fungi can multiply more. For this reason, a regulation was enacted that prohibits the airtight packaging of cannabis. In countries where cannabis is still banned, it is packed airtight for safety reasons in order to transport it, and also the consumer at home understandably shies away from airing his weed regularly, as the sometimes strong smell draws attention to it. Because of the high price, many patients in countries where cannabis is only available in pharmacies for prices that are sometimes far above the black market are forced to resort to exactly that and thus bring potentially contaminated weed into their homes.
So it is up to governments worldwide to finally open up the market for cannabis so that quality controls can take place. The argument that the prohibition of cannabis serves public health is long outdated. Exactly the opposite is the case; prohibition puts millions of cannabis users at risk. It is finally time to abolish a prohibition that has no benefit and only causes harm, so that regulation and quality control can take place.
If cultivation for own purposes and for medical use is legal, patients have the possibility to influence the quality of their medicine themselves and are able to take appropriate precautions. Under these circumstances, the person concerned can decide for himself whether he wants to use chemical plant protection products at all or prefers to use purely organic products. He has full control over the production, processing and storage of the medical marijuana because he produces it himself without putting purely economic interests in the foreground.