At Straight Hemp, we have been closely monitoring the multistate outbreak of pulmonary illness associated with vaping products. While the Centers for Disease Control and other federal and state agencies are still investigating the exact cause of these illnesses—which could be tied to additive ingredients, faulty devices, potential consumer misuse or some combination thereof—we want all of our vendors and customers to hear from us directly.
1. Straight Hemp’s vaporizer line does not contain additives or flavorings, and our devices feature top-quality hardware. We do not use additives, non-hemp terpenes or any other other ingredients other than pure hemp extract in our vaporizer distillate. Every hemp product we sell is rigorously tested by a certified third-party lab to verify that they are free of any harmful contaminants. In fact, our testing protocols exceed the state of Colorado’s requirements. Our vaporizers use top-of the-line batteries for precision heating, and feature ceramic heating coils (not metal). All of these factors ensure Straight Hemp product safety.
2. We will continue to make and stock vaporizer products because vaping is an important delivery system. When manufactured and used responsibly, vaping can provide immediate relief to those who are suffering.
3. We believe this outbreak is a massive wakeup call for our industry, state regulators and the federal government. At Straight Hemp, we have always vigorously advocated for testing, regulation, education and industry-wide standards. We are actively participating with industry partners and state authorities in order to advance public health and safety, and we are redoubling our efforts to demand industry-wide manufacturing standards and regulations. Research shows fat additives such as MCT oil, olive oil, hempseed oil and vitamin E acetate are all extremely dangerous when used as vaping diluents, and should be banned.
As a nation, we MUST establish clear and safe regulation and oversight of these products, and educate the public about the risks of making purchases on the black market, which has no regulation, no testing requirements and no oversight for pesticides or contaminants. Responsible companies will always operate with transparency and self-regulate, but it’s time for the industry to step up and work with state regulators and public health partners to set universal safety standards immediately.
We strongly urge consumers to avoid any products that are not tested or compliant. We will continue to work toward the goal of established consumer safety standards. We thank you for your continued trust and support.
