An Oregon analytic laboratory is offering a new test for cannabis products to detect the presence of vitamin E acetate, an additive that has been implicated in the rash of vaping-related lung illnesses that have sickened hundreds and led to at least six deaths. Pixis Labs in Portland began conducting the test for consumers on Monday, according to a report in local media.
Pixis Labs developed the test after it was announced that state and federal health officials were looking into the possibility that vitamin E acetate, also known as Alpha-tocopherol acetate, could be associated with the hundreds of pulmonary illnesses that have been reported in dozens of states. The substance, a supplement designed for oral or topical use, is sometimes used to thin or dilute the cannabis oil in vape cartridges.
Derrick Tanner, the general manager of Pixis Labs, said that the company has tested several cannabis oils from existing customers to validate the process, although he declined to say if any vitamin E acetate was detected in the samples provided. He also said that he expects the new test to generate considerable interest from not only consumers but the cannabis industry, as well.
“Anyone who’s […] not even just generating cartridges and oils, anybody who’s ancillary in this service line is interested in having this as an additional test for their product,” Tanner said. “Everyone’s concerned about it right now.”
Tanner said that diluting commodities to increase profits isn’t restricted to the cannabis industry. The practice is also sometimes carried out in the food industry, with honey and olive oil being notable examples.
“Any time you have a commodity that’s highly valued, and there’s a way to increase your profits one way or