Weed can contain mold, bacteria, or even heavy metals like arsenic. It can also be unexpectedly potent, not matching the THC levels on its label. States are trying to keep weed consumers from getting sick, while supporting a growing, tax-paying industry.
Some background: The California Department of Cannabis Control officially formed in 2021, combining what various other state agencies were doing to stay on top of the newly formed legal weed industry in the state. One of its primary jobs is to keep weed safe. It's a task many states with legalized marijuana struggle with, in the absence of federal support or guidance.
On their own: For cannabis, unlike for brownie mix or Tylenol, there's no federal Food and Drug Administration to keep consumers safe. In that vacuum, weed regulators from several states came together to form the Cannabis Regulators Association, says Gillian Schauer, the group's executive director.
Preventing a weed health crisis: The possible health risks aren't confined to smoking. The Department of Cannabis Control also regulates edibles like gummies, brownies and sodas. In those types of products, the THC dose may be higher than indicated by the label. Edibles may also be contaminated by bacteria, which could sicken the person who consumes it.
Read on... for more details on regulation and using science for safety.
At Vibe Cultivators, an indoor cannabis farm in Sacramento, the first thing to hit you is the smell. Earthy, skunky, whatever you want to call it, that is some pungent weed.
There are aisles of plants, growing on two levels under artificial lights. They have names like Gelato 33 and Alien Runtz.
"As you can see, all our plants are tagged," says Brian Prichard, Vibe's entrepreneur in residence.
The state-sanctioned tags are a sign this isn't weed grown by a guy who knows a guy. They contain the name of the state-licensed grower, the license number and an ID number just for the plant, so cannabis regulators can keep track of it.
Things have changed since the days before California legalized marijuana, Prichard says. Back then, he had to be secretive about his work, which meant asking for help was challenging.
Rows of carefully tagged plants grow at Vibe Cultivators in Sacramento. The industry is largely supportive of California's push to regulate it and keep harmful products from hitting the market.
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Preston Gannaway for NPR
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"Before, you know, I'd go to Home Depot and I'd tell them, 'I need this part and this part to make something.' Well, they want to know what I'm making. 'Well, I can't tell you... I just need these parts,'" Prichard says.
Now, he can just ask for information, even from state regulators.
The California Department of Cannabis Control officially formed in 2021, combining what various other state agencies were doing to stay on top of the newly formed legal weed industry in the state. One of its primary jobs is to keep weed safe. It's a task many states with legalized marijuana struggle with, in the absence of federal support or guidance.
And without a deep well of scientific research – it hasn't been easy. Weed can contain mold, bacteria, or even heavy metals like arsenic. It can also be unexpectedly potent, not matching the THC levels on its label. States are trying to keep weed consumers from getting sick, while
supporting a growing, tax-paying industry.
"We like to say around here that we're building the plane as we fly it," says Zarha Ruiz, who leads environmental compliance and manufacturing safety at California's Department of Cannabis Control. "Nothing could be more accurate."
For cannabis, unlike for brownie mix or Tylenol, there's no federal Food and Drug Administration to keep consumers safe. In that vacuum, weed regulators from several states came together to form the Cannabis Regulators Association, says Gillian Schauer, the group's executive director.
"States were struggling to set up literally their own mini FDAs and mini EPAs to try to do the due diligence that was needed," Schauer says.
The states share information, holding meetings and webinars to update each other on what's working and discuss evolving best practices, for instance.
But they don't all test for the same things. According to a 2022 study about the patchwork of regulation around the country, states were testing for more than 600 contaminants in all.
"Interestingly, in each jurisdiction there's only anywhere between 60 to 120 contaminants that are regulated," says Maxwell Leung, an assistant professor at Arizona State University who authored the study. For example, a contaminant might lead to a recall in one state. But another state may not even be testing for it.
Zarha Ruiz, branch chief of environmental compliance and manufacturing safety at the Department of Cannabis Control, outside Vibe Cultivators.
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Preston Gannaway for NPR
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Testing for more contaminants isn't necessarily better, however, he says. Without a vast body of research, scientists and regulators don't know which contaminants have the biggest impact on human health.
Still, California has seen recalls of legal weed — it had 63 last year, the most since the Department of Cannabis Control formed in 2021. That meant sellers had to yank 25,000 individual units of cannabis products from their shelves, because of things like microbial contamination or misbranding.
The California Cannabis Industry Association which represents growers, manufacturers and dispensaries, generally supports the state's effort to regulate. The association says it's "heartened" by the state's recent work on recalls, which came after an investigation called out the state for missing illegal pesticides in legal weed.
"That's not to say there isn't room for improvement in any emerging industry, and cannabis is no exception," says Caren Woodsen, the president of the association's board of directors.
Preventing a weed health crisis
For Ruiz in California, the regulators' priority is keeping people safe. People in the industry remember the EVALI crisis, a 2019 outbreak of lung injuries and hospitalizations across all 50 states linked to vape products containing vitamin E acetate, an additive in some e-cigarettes with THC. At least 68 people died, including four in California.
The possible health risks aren't confined to smoking. The Department of Cannabis Control also regulates edibles like gummies, brownies and sodas. In those types of products, the THC dose may be higher than indicated by the label. Edibles may also be contaminated by bacteria, which could sicken the person who consumes it.
Wyld's grapefruit-flavored gummies are poured into molds, cured, coated in sugar and then packaged for distribution at a factory in Sacramento, Calif.
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Sydney Lupkin
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency room visits related to cannabis increased between 2019 and 2022 for people under 25. Earlier research showed edibles were responsible for a disproportionate share of cannabis-related ER visits.
Down the street from the Sacramento pot farm, there's a factory that makes a product called Wyld gummies.
On a recent grapefruit gummy-making day, a machine poured the solution into rectangular molds. Everyone was wearing hair nets, masks and blue gloves. It looked and smelled like any other factory that makes food, but stored in a metal locker inside a back room, there's a special ingredient: THC oil.
"Our gummies are four grams, but only 10 milligrams of that is cannabis or cannabinoid product," says Gabe Parton Lee, the company's attorney. "And so the majority is just candy."
Still, it's inspected by the California Department of Cannabis Control instead of the FDA or state inspectors under contract with the FDA.
In the distribution room, hundreds of boxes of marionberry flavored gummies are cordoned off to the side under a sign that says "Quarantine Area" in red lettering. The gummies are awaiting batch testing results at one of 27 licensed labs around the state before they can be loaded on trucks and on their way to retail destinations. Inspectors will be checking for contaminants and THC levels.
Using science for safety
In California, the Department of Cannabis Control tracks almost every step in the cannabis pipeline. Weed manufacturers even have to report how many pounds of plant trimmings they throw away.
Research scientist Hung Liu runs tests at the Department of Cannabis Control laboratory in Richmond, Calif., in January. Labs are looking for contaminants such as illegal pesticides and heavy metals.
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Preston Gannaway for NPR
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The department's lab in Richmond, near San Francisco, leads the state-licensed labs. It uses sensitive machines to test for hundreds of contaminants, setting standards and helping law enforcement with investigations involving the illicit marijuana market.
And as the California cannabis industry has evolved, the lab has had to keep up, finding ways to test everything from gummies to hard candies to beverages to popcorn.
"There's all kinds of things that people are infusing with cannabinoids that we have to be able to extract them out of to then declare if it is accurately labeled" or that the labeled dosage is accurate," says Antonio Frazier, branch chief for the department's Laboratory Services Division. "It's a very interesting industry and I love it because you see so much ingenuity. I mean, you're seeing really creative products out there."
Over the last five years, the legal cannabis market has gotten a lot cleaner, especially compared to what he's seen in the illicit market.
"We see the levels of illegal pesticides that are 10, 100 times the actual limit coming from the illicit market," he says. The DCC has also occasionally found fentanyl in non-regulated cannabis products.
A research scientist measures water activity in a flower sample at a Department of Cannabis Control lab.
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Preston Gannaway for NPR
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In other words, it's still safer to buy regulated weed than illicit weed – even though regulated weed is more expensive.
None of Vibe Cultivators' products have ever been recalled. Brian Pritchard says the regulation is doing its job, which helps him do his job.
"I don't have to sneak in at midnight to get my work done anymore," he says. "It's a major improvement. The only people that are going to complain about it [are] the people who are doing stuff wrong."
Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States celebrates scoring his team's third goal with Chris Richards #3 during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium.
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John Dorton/USSF
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Getty Images
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Topline:
In the first FIFA World Cup match to be held on U.S. soil in more than three decades, the U.S. men's national soccer team delivered a commanding 4-1 win in their opener against Paraguay.
About the score: Four goals — two from striker Folarin Balogun plus an own goal by Paraguayan defender Damian Bobadilla and a late strike by American Gio Reyna — electrified the packed and partisan crowd at Los Angeles Stadium. The final tally was a record for the U.S. men, who had never scored more than three goals in a single World Cup game.
Next up for the U.S.: Australia on Friday, June 19 in Seattle, and then the Americans will wrap up the group stage with a June 25 game against Turkey back in Los Angeles.ckout round — though the U.S. could earn a more advantageous path if it finishes the group stage in first place.
In the first FIFA World Cup match to be held on U.S. soil in more than three decades, the U.S. men's national soccer team delivered a commanding 4-1 win in their opener against Paraguay.
Four goals — two from striker Folarin Balogun plus an own goal by Paraguayan defender Damian Bobadilla and a late strike by American Gio Reyna — electrified the packed and partisan crowd at Los Angeles Stadium. The final tally was a record for the U.S. men, who had never scored more than three goals in a single World Cup game.
A confident and unrelenting attack from the U.S. had Paraguay on its heels much of the first half. The Americans' pressure in Paraguay's zone paid off quickly, when a pass from midfielder Weston McKennie deflected off Bobadilla for an own goal in the seventh minute.
Then, the U.S. striker Balogun took over. First, in the 31st minute, a cross from forward Christian Pulisic found the foot of Balogun, then the back of the net. Then, in the stoppage time of the first half, the Monaco striker shed two defenders to find a window, then placed a perfect strike to the upper corner of the goal, where Orlando Gill, the beleaguered Paraguayan goalkeeper, had no chance to save it.
The Americans were more subdued in a quieter second half. Pulisic was pulled at halftime for midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who became just the second son in a father-son pair to represent the U.S. in a World Cup game (his father, the former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, who played in the 2002 tournament).
After the match, Pulisic told reporters that his calf got a "bit of a kick in the first half." He said he's "hoping it's nothing. I'm taking a little bit of precaution today, but I'm hoping I'll be fine in the next few days." Coach Mauricio Pochettino said he believes Pulisic will be available for the next U.S. match.
Paraguay midfielder Mauricio scored his team's lone goal in the 73rd minute. Late in second-half stoppage time, midfielder Reyna (a late sub) knocked in a goal to extend the U.S. lead 4-1.
Balogun's World Cup brace is the first by a U.S. player since the inaugural tournament in 1930.
He is one of 13 players representing the U.S. at the World Cup for the first time. Born in New York City to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Balogun was eligible for all three national teams but chose to join the U.S. in 2023.
Balogun's family was watching from the stands, and he called the win a statement. "A real dream. It was a dreamy night."
Friday's game was evidence of just how far the U.S. attack has come since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the U.S. managed only three goals across all four games it played in.
Next up for the U.S. is Australia on Friday, June 19 in Seattle, and then the Americans will wrap up the group stage with a June 25 game against Turkey back in Los Angeles.
The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams means it will be easier than ever to emerge from the group stage. With Friday's win, plus either a second win against Australia or Turkey or a draw against both teams, would likely be enough for the U.S. to advance to the knockout round — though the U.S. could earn a more advantageous path if it finishes the group stage in first place.
Federal underspend: The audit shows LAHSA spent at least $7 million less in federal dollars than it had budgeted last fiscal year. LAHSA had budgeted $61.5 million in such dollars. It spent only about $49 million to $54.4 million, per the audit.
A history: Underspending at LAHSA was called out more than four years ago, in a January 2022 audit that found the agency left $3.5 million in federal grants on the table by not using them.
Specifically to federal dollars, the audit shows LAHSA spent at least $7 million less than it had budgeted last fiscal year. LAHSA had budgeted $61.5 million in such dollars. It spent only about $49 million to $54.4 million, per the audit.
Underspending at LAHSA was called out more than four years ago, in a January 2022 audit that found the agency left $3.5 million in federal grants on the table by not using them.
A spokesperson for LAHSA has not responded to a request for comment.
LAHSA is governed by a 10-member commission that is half appointed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, and half appointed by each of the five county supervisors. Bass has served on the commission since she appointed herself to it in fall 2023.
Bass’ office said in a statement that the mayor “has grave concerns about LAHSA and zero tolerance for mismanagement and negligence.” The federal money suspension puts lives and progress on homelessness at risk, the statement added.
The mayor’s office statement says the mayor “previously directed the city to evaluate how to move away from the agency.”
When the City Council considered in March whether to withdraw the city’s funds from LAHSA and instead have the city directly oversee the dollars, Bass cautioned that the city first would need “a serious, thoughtful transition plan,” adding that “the last thing we need is a new department and more bureaucracy.”
Spokespeople for the county supervisors have not returned messages for comment on the underspending.
Federal officials cited that in their letter Thursday as one of many reasons for their suspension of funds to LAHSA. The letter incorrectly attributed the full underspend to LAHSA. The findings were instead about the city’s overall homelessness spending, a portion of which goes to LAHSA.
Spokespeople for HUD have not responded to an emailed request about the inaccuracy.
A controller’s analysis for the following fiscal year, ending June 2025, found the city again underspent its homelessness budget, by at least $473 million.
“Breaking City Hall from its decades old dysfunctional system is how we finally brought homelessness down by 17%,” Bass said in a statement at the time. “I’m glad to support the controller’s recommendations to further reform the status quo.”
Other problems found in audit
The federally required audit, known as a single audit, must be done each year by an accounting firm hired by LAHSA.
The latest one, finalized last month and covering the fiscal year that ended last June, found failures surrounding poor bookkeeping and accounting of taxpayer money at the agency — which spent over $800 million in public funds last fiscal year.
The agency’s financial statements initially included “significant” inaccurate amounts that needed to be adjusted late in the audit process, the auditors found.
It found the inaccuracies stemmed from a "significant deficiency” in LAHSA’s “internal controls,” which are supposed to safeguard against financial inaccuracies and fraud.
Vacant tax-funded apartments
LAist reported Thursday that LAHSA has been using tax dollars to pay for more than 250 empty apartments as part of an initiative Mayor Karen Bass introduced years ago to make housing readily available to unhoused people. That’s just over a third of the units in the strategy, known as master leasing, according to an LAist review of official data.
The vacancies have been tying up tax dollars — largely overseen by the county — that could house hundreds of people in other approaches, according to official financial data.
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Other funds leaving LAHSA
In response to previous audits that found major problems with LAHSA’s oversight of tax dollars, county supervisors decided last spring to withdraw all of the county’s $300 million-plus in annual funding of services through LAHSA and instead have the county directly manage it starting July 1.
Problems identified in the latest audit reiterate why the county pulled its funding, Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement Monday.
The city is considering moving in a similar direction as the county. A key City Council panel — its homelessness committee — recently recommended the full council start shifting city homelessness funding out of LAHSA over the course of the next fiscal year. Bass urged caution, saying moving too quickly to shift funding could disrupt services for unhoused people.
LAHSA has long functioned as the L.A.’s homeless services department, with over $300 million in city money expected to flow through LAHSA this fiscal year.
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Manny Valladares
is always looking for the next tasty bite to feature on "AirTalk" Food Friday on LAist 89.3.
Published June 12, 2026 3:50 PM
Lei'd Cookies offers a variety of cookies ranging in origin, taste and look.
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Courtesy Leilani Terris
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Top line:
For any World Cup-related festivities, you might want to consider a diverse set of cookies. Lei'd Cookies in Culver City is a one-stop shop for cookies that take inspiration from countries across the globe. One of their owners spoke with Austin Cross, "AirTalk" onFriday host, about their cookies experience.
Flavor inspirations: The Philippines, Mexico, Cuba, Thailand, Morocco and more.
The ultimate Lei'd Cookies experience: Add ice cream to a warm cookie at the Culver City shop or take a group of friends to their pop-up at Smorgasburg L.A., for a more communal experience.
Read more ... to learn more about the bakery and the different cookies we tried.
A cookie business with well over a dozen flavors ranging from Mexican hot chocolate to mango sticky rice? How very L.A.! Lei’d Cookies started as a pandemic pop-up. Nowadays, you'll find them in the Culver City Arts District.
About the owner
Baker and owner Leilani Terris posing, holding two cookies from Lei’d Cookies.
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Courtesy Leilani Terris
)
Co-owner Leilani Terris originally thought she'd become a physical therapist. After applying to school, she took a gap year, taught herself to bake and connected with co-owner James Lewis to start their cookie business.
Terris sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to explain how their cookies take customers on a bite-sized journey to other countries.
What's the best way to experience Lei'd Cookies?
Add ice cream to a warm cookie at their Culver City shop. If you want a more communal experience, take a trip with a group of friends to Smorgasburg L.A., which takes place every Sunday in downtown L.A.
Known for international flavors
Terris wants customers to get a taste of other cultures. Lei'd Cookies has put a spin on ghriba, a type of shortbread cookie from Morocco, and spicy Mexican hot chocolate.
Although Terris didn't start with professional culinary experience, her co-owner, James Lewis, worked in restaurant management for years prior to opening.
They joined Smorgasburg L.A.'s list of vendors in 2021.
Lei'd Cookies opened its brick-and-mortar in Culver City in 2023.
Cookies we tried
Orange Date Blossom Cookie (Ghriba inspired and includes apricot jam and walnuts)
Mayan (cinnamon, cayenne, and chocolate from Tabasco, Mexico)
Mango Sticky Rice
Guava and Goat Cheese (their best-seller)
How to visit
Address: 8588 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA
Hours: Tuesday-Friday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 5-9 p.m.
Cost: Single cookie is $5, a box of five is $20, and a box of 10 is $35.
What should we try next?
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Fill out the form below, and please include an email address so we're able to follow up if necessary! We're not able to respond to every inquiry, but all submissions are read and reviewed by our production team.
Sena Chang
is a summer 2026 LAist intern and a junior at Princeton.
Published June 12, 2026 3:45 PM
The Hughes Fire spews smoke over Ventura County in January 2025.
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Ethan Swope
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Associated Press
)
Topline:
A hot, dry winter has led to fires already this year, and experts said Friday at a news conference in Los Angeles that that is projected to continue. Different from previous wildfire seasons, though, is that experts are also closing watching an El Niño.
Fire outlook: Robert Garcia, a U.S. Forest Service fire chief, said that the recent Burro Fire in Angeles National Forest provided “some indicators of what may be ahead in the months ahead” as vegetation starts to dry. The Burro Fire charred 30 acres and burned for about a week in May in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Glendora.
El Niño predictions: The National Weather Service is predicting a 63% chance of a “very strong” El Niño from November to January. It be one of the most powerful since 1950, according to the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center.
Read on … to learn more about El Niño and fire season.
Southern Californians could face floods and fires this year.
A hot, dry winter has led to fires already, and experts said Friday at a news conference in Los Angeles that that is projected to continue.
Different from previous wildfire seasons, though, experts are also closely watching El Niño, a powerful weather pattern that causes changes in winds and ocean temperatures.
“California is faced with multiple disasters, whether it be fires, floods, hazardous material incidents,” said Brian Marshall, fire and rescue chief with the California Office of Emergency Services. Marshall said the El Niño “could impact fires and could impact flooding across the state.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a 63% chance of a “very strong” El Niño from November to January. It could be one of the most powerful since 1950, according to the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center.
Heavy El Niño storms could trigger flash flooding and debris flows in wildfire burn scar areas.
The effects of the rapidly developing El Niño on this year’s wildfire season remain uncertain, and experts urged residents to stay vigilant.
William Deverell, director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, said more rain can also increase plant growth, which can eventually dry out and create more fuel for fires.
Robert Garcia, fire chief in the Angeles National Forest, said the recent Burro Fire provided “some indicators of what may be ahead” as vegetation starts to dry. The Burro Fire charred 30 acres and burned for about a week in May in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Glendora.
What you can do to stay safe
Fire officials advised people to create defensible space around their homes by clearing it of dry vegetation and other flammable materials.
Pre-fire conditions, including the abundance of dry vegetation, were “dominant drivers” of burn severity in the Eaton, Palisades and Hughes fires in January 2025, according to a new study led by San Diego State University in collaboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers.
“Regions like Los Angeles … have a lot of human populations who are living closer to these environments that are susceptible to wildfires,” said Madeleine Pascolini-Campbell, a scientist at JPL and a co-author of the study.
Beyond fire prevention, defensible space also helps firefighters enter properties to extinguish flames.
“Wind-driven, ember-casting wildfires moving through a community without defensible space makes it very difficult for us to be able to combat those fires,” Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime E. Moore said at the news conference. “It makes it unsafe for our firefighters and those that are working hard to protect your home.”
