two months. The issue was again tied to a banned pes- ticide, with some batches recalled directly and oth- ers swept in because they were grown around the same time. If your page needs “drug news but not tragic,” Colorado recalls are basically a genre now. HEMP TUG-OF-WAR - Colorado is also teeing up a classic drug-policy con- tradiction: federal tighten- ing, state loosening. Axios Denver reported a federal spending bill included a provision that would ef- fectively clamp down on many hemp-derived THC/ CBD products by setting a very low THC cap per pack- age, while Colorado advo- cates were drafting a bill to loosen state rules on hemp beverages. Axios reported current Colorado law limits hemp-derived THC drinks and requires a CBD-to- THC ratio, while the pro- posed changes would allow stronger products to be sold anywhere alcohol is sold. LEADVILLE CONTACT-HI - A cannabis and CBD shop in Leadville caught fire in December, and the smoke got bad enough that officials issued an air-quality alert for people within about a half-mile. Denver7 re- ported nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution, residents were told to stay inside or wear N95s, and the local elementary school canceled outdoor activi- ties. Real emergency, very predictable internet jokes.
SHROOMS, SKIS & FALSE ALARM - Summit County’s sheriff blotter delivered a very Colorado entry when a woman called for help near Cucumber Gulch af- ter saying her boyfriend had fallen while skiing and was injured. Depu- ties responded, but later determined he wasn’t ac- tually hurt. According to the sheriff’s “Justice Files,” the woman appeared to be under the influence of psy- chedelic mushrooms and other drugs, which caused confusion about what had happened. Deputies stayed with the pair until they could arrange a sober ride instead of turning the whole thing into a bigger disaster. STORAGE WARS: FENTAN- YL EDITION - In one of the most “you can’t make this up” Colorado drug busts of the year, a person who le- gally bought a storage unit at auction opened it and called cops after finding what looked like narcotics. DEA and Douglas County officials said the unit con- tained about 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl pills, plus 12 kilograms of fen- tanyl powder and a smaller amount of methamphet- amine — the largest one- time counterfeit pill seizure in Colorado history, accord- ing to authorities. The un- paid unit reportedly went to auction after its original owner was arrested earlier. METH IN THE VEGGIE BOX - CPR reported a re- cord Colorado meth inves-
tigation that sounds like a cartel-themed produce aisle fever dream: au- thorities said they found 733 pounds of metham- phetamine in a Lakewood home, with quarter-pound bundles hidden in boxes of pair squash imported from Mexico. The broader case led to 15 federal indict- ments, and officials said more than 1,000 pounds of meth was ultimately seized during the inves- tigation. Also seized, per CPR’s report: cash, guns, and other drugs includ- ing cocaine and fentanyl. NEW YEAR’S EVE RECALL PARTY - Colorado’s weed industry closed out 2025 with a giant “happy new year, now check your la- bels” moment. Westword and CBS Colorado reported a state recall tied to pesti- cide concerns hit products sold by one company to nearly 300 dispensaries statewide (Westword re- ported 295 stores). The recalled products included vape cartridges and in- fused pre-rolls, and regu- lators said affected batches had contamination issues that exceeded legal lim- its. Not exactly the count- down anyone wanted. RECALLS: SEASON 2 - Colorado started 2026 by immediately doing more recall content. Westword reported the state’s first cannabis recall of the year hit 19 dispensaries, and noted it was already the eighth recall in just over
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