AUGUSTA — Patients obtaining medical marijuana in Thomaston, Hallowell, Portland and Brewer were possibly inhaling, injesting or absorbing not only THC, but residues of pesticides and fungicides spread under the labels of Doktor Doom and Monterey Garden Insect Spray.

As a result, Wellness Connection, the nonprofit responsible for growing and distributing the marijuana, must clean up its cultivation practices, as well as the conduct of its board of directors.

On March 25, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services signed a consent agreement with Northeast Patients Group, doing business as Wellness Connection of Maine. The agreement followed inspections on March 4 and 6 of the Wellness Connection Auburn cultivation site, and the March 14 inspection of the Thomaston cultivation site, as well as the nonprofit's four dispensaries. The Thomaston dispensary is at 149 New County Road.

"Based upon these inspections, the department determined that Wellness Connection was not in compliance with the Act or the Rules," the consent agreement said. That referenced act is the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act, as approved in 2009.

"For several months, marijuana plants that had pesticides applied were utilized to produce various medical cannibas products, including tinctures, baker's mix, and all strains of medical marijuana dispensed by Wellness Connection of Maine," the state said in its violation notice.  DHHS stipulated that Wellness Connection post the violation notice at its dispensaries and distribute to patients.

Northeast Patients Group, or Wellness Connection, was established as a nonprofit in 2010, and in business by 2011. According to its website, it operates: "four of Maine's eight state-licensed, non-profit, medical cannabis dispensaries. We provide qualified Maine residents with an array of wellness-related services and the highest quality medical marijuana at reasonable cost to them; support patients’ full-spectrum wellness; and foster education about medical cannabis throughout the state."

Wellness Connection said: "Founded by a group of advocates after the passage of Maine’s Medical Use of Cannabis Act (2009), Wellness Connection of Maine combines a decade of successful experience in dispensary operations with a deep understanding of Maine’s law and the specific needs of the state’s consumer base and other stakeholders."

The rules outlining where and how medical marijuana is to be grown, distributed, administered and used in Maine are many, and included in the Dec. 31, 2012 document, Rules Governing the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program.   There is but one line, however, in that document that is dedicated to the agricultural cultivation and related chemical compounds. It says, "There are no pesticides authorized for use on marijuana by Maine law, and unauthorized application of pesticides is unlawful under these rules."

Rules also say that each dispensary must grow its own marijuana, and comply with Maine food laws on cleaning, sorting, grading, weighing and packaging, and is subject to inspection and testing for quality control.

"Wellness Connection of Maine’s dispensaries are inviting, safe, clean and accessible healing centers that combine the best features of a pharmacy, social service agency, community center and wellness practice in one convenient location," the nonprofit said, about itself. "It is a place where you can confidently purchase quality, safe medicine from friendly people who care about you, in a form that suits your needs and at reasonable prices."

According to the consent agreement, the three principals of Wellness Connection — Executive Clinical Director Becky DeKeuster, Chief Operating Officer Patricia Rosi-Santucci, and Board President Paul Sevigny — agreed with the state to a two-part list of requirements, including:

1) Ceasing production and sale of kief, or kiefer, which is the resin of cannibas and contains a higher concentration of THC, "psychoactive cannabinoids than medicinal marijuana," the state said.

2) Ceasing using pesticides and fungicides;

3) submitting weekly regulatory status reports;

4) acquiring a food establishment license for the production of tinctures and any other goods containing marijuana for consumption;

5) resolving conflicts of interest with members of the Wellness Connection Board of Directors and implement policies and procedures to prevent direct and indirect gains which could accrue to the member as a result of actions or decisions made in the capacity of board authority;

6) establishing a compliance subcomittee of the board.

The violation notice listed the pesticide names that were used in cultivation by Wellness Connections. They included:

Senarade Disease Control, a strain of dried baccillus subtilis

Gnatrol WDG biological larvicide

Monterey Garden Insect Spray

Actinovate Lawn and Garden Fungicide

CX Hydroponics Tanlin Drops

Doktor Doom Total Release Fogger

Organocide 3 in 1 Garden Spray (sesame oil)

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 706-6657.