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Department of Pesticide Regulation Releases List of Pesticide Products That Meet California’s Criteria for Legal Use on Cannabis

New resource identifies pesticides that can be used legally in California for cannabis cultivation



Contact:
Leia Bailey, Communications Director
(916) 445-3974 | Leia.Bailey@cdpr.ca.gov
December 18, 2024

En Español

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation released a new resource to support compliance in the legal cannabis market: a list of about 100 pesticide products that meet California’s criteria for legal use on cannabis.

To view the list, visit: Which Pesticides Can I Use on Cannabis in California?

Since cannabis is illegal under federal law, there are no pesticide products registered for use specifically on cannabis.

When cannabis was legalized in California, DPR identified criteria for legal pesticide use on cannabis cultivation in the state. A pesticide meets these criteria if the active ingredients found in the product is:

  1. a minimum risk ("25(b)") product, which is a pesticide that U.S. EPA and DPR have determined to be safe, effective and exempt from registration due to the low-risk nature of the product, and is also exempt from federal pesticide residue tolerance requirements, or
  2. a product that is exempt from residue tolerance requirements and the use of the product would not be legally considered a use in conflict with the registered label.

Products used on cannabis, including minimum risk 25(b) products, must be used in accordance with applicable label, regulatory, and other legal requirements, including directions for use, storage and disposal, personal protective equipment for applicators and any other requirements.

The list released today includes about 100 registered products exempt from pesticide residue tolerances set by U.S. EPA that meet California’s legal use criteria. It does not include available 25(b) products that are also legal to use on cannabis in California.

This list will assist cannabis growers and licensed pesticide applicators in identifying legal options for pest management.

"We are excited to provide growers and pesticide applicators better clarity on the pesticides they can legally use in California for cannabis cultivation to help support safe and effective pest management," said Julie Henderson, Director at DPR.

"The Department of Pesticide Regulation’s expertise on this matter will help our licensees make better educated choices when choosing pesticides," said Nicole Elliott, Director of Department of Cannabis Control. "We applaud DPR for their work in this area and look forward to our continued collaboration with them on this important topic."

Cannabis and cannabis products must undergo pesticide residue testing by a laboratory licensed by the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) before products are sold. The use of certain pesticide products that meet California’s use criteria may still result in residue test failures due to improper use rates, improper time of application (during growing or harvest), or other application or agronomic factors. Visit DCC’s website for more information, including testing requirements for pesticides on cannabis and cannabis products.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation's mission is to protect human health and the environment. The department achieves this mission by fostering safer, sustainable pest management and operating a robust pesticide regulatory system. DPR's work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting pre- and post-registration scientific evaluations of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide use laws and regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 500 field inspectors.

DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to pesticide safety information. More information about DPR can be found on our website.

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