Arizona health officials are warning Phoenix-area cannabis customers to double-check their recent flower purchases after a voluntary recall hit two popular dispensaries on Tuesday. The Arizona Department of Health Services says certain products may be contaminated with Aspergillus, a common fungus that usually flies under the radar but can cause allergic reactions or infections in people with weakened immune systems.
Which products were recalled
The recall targets two specific strains and batch numbers: the Super Yuzu strain sold at JARS, batch number K-2025-19-Z1-SYUZ, and the Trap Queen strain sold at Nature's Wonder, batch number 0701R30TQ, according to Phoenix New Times. State officials told the outlet the recall was issued "out of an abundance of caution," and the affected products have already been pulled from store shelves.
What to do if you bought these batches
The Arizona Department of Health Services advises customers not to ingest or inhale any marijuana product that might be contaminated. In its public recall notices, the department typically tells consumers to dispose of suspect products and to contact either the dispensary or ADHS directly with questions, stressing that recalls are meant to protect public health, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
What Aspergillus can do
Aspergillus is a group of molds whose spores most people breathe in every day without even realizing it. For healthy people, that is usually not a problem. For those with weakened immune systems or chronic lung disease, though, the CDC warns it can turn serious, with symptoms that can include wheezing, cough, fever, chest pain and, in severe cases, invasive infection.
Dispensaries' response
JARS told Phoenix New Times that customers who bought the recalled cannabis can bring it back for a refund and that the company follows ADHS recalls by removing affected products from the sales floor. Nature's Wonder's corporate office on Thomas Road declined to offer more details about potential refunds when contacted, the newspaper reports.
Why testing sometimes misses contamination
State regulators have previously flagged situations where third-party lab testing or reporting errors led to conflicting results, according to public bulletins from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Those kinds of mix-ups can prompt follow-up testing and voluntary product removals, which helps explain why ADHS and license holders sometimes move ahead with recalls even when no illnesses have been reported at the time.
If you picked up Super Yuzu or Trap Queen recently, check the packaging for the batch number and hang onto your receipt. If it matches one of the recalled lots, do not use the product. Either return it to the dispensary or dispose of it in a sealed container. Anyone who has already used the recalled cannabis and develops respiratory symptoms, fever or chest pain should contact a healthcare provider, per guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
