The State of Illinois has a duty to its medical cannabis patients to ensure the production of safely-consumed medicinal products free of harmful substances that have been proven to be detrimental to long-term health. In particular, I urge against the permission of Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), used to increase biomass yield per crop to meet statewide demand for both medical and recreational sales. At worst, some of these compounds are known to be associated with liver and fertility damage and at best, stimulate cannabis plants' hormones in an unnatural way, making inflorescence tissues denser and interfering with their ability to produce mature resin glands full of beneficially active compounds that provide symptom relief and effects enjoyed by patients and customers. 

In the interest of promoting health rather than placing it at risk, I propose the following, in whole or in part(s):

Part I. Full Transparency by Cultivators

All chemical inputs to growing media, including growth agents, pesticides, and growing media itself, should be disclosed on packaging or in peripheral literature referenced by packaging (e.g. a QR code linking to a PDF file) as to be accessible by consumers. This practice is required in the State of Colorado, for flower and all derivations.

Part II. Revision of Permitted Chemicals List

Allowance of many known hazards as PGRs and pesticides should be discontinued. Consider holding a town hall-style open forum on pesticides and additives resulting in a redrafted list of allowed substances. 

Part III. Testing Lab Oversight

Testing labs should be audited regularly to ensure equitable and accurate testing for samples across cultivators and product types. Additionally, either by establishment of a dedicated third-party lab or other means, accessibility to testing resources for patients should be expanded to allow patients and consumers to ascertain the quality and composition of their products. 

Any cultivator whose products exhibit presence of harmful materials exceeding allowed PPM or a variance of cannabinoid contents greater than 15% from the stated totals, contrary to initial batch results, should be liable for recall and/or restitution. 

Part IV. Increased Cultivation Site Monitoring & Enforcement

It has come to my attention that despite surveillance systems active and regulations governing cultivation site conduct, there have been instances of social media posts containing images that suggest non-compliant or subpar conditions, including gnats and workers' bare arms coated in cannabis flower resin. To that end, I urge ILDOA to augment oversight over these entities, and conduct regular audits to assess hygiene, crop issues, ventilation/climate control, and chemical compliance.