Colorado regulators are warning consumers to check their marijuana vapes after cartridges and disposable devices sold at 405 stores were found to have been produced with an ingredient that contained methylene chloride, an industrial solvent. The products were made by Staycon LLC, which does business as Craft, and were sold between March 27 and Sept. 25, 2026.
The Colorado Department of Revenue, working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, issued the health and safety advisory on Sept. 25 through the state's Marijuana Enforcement Division. State officials said they had not received any reports of illness linked to the products.
The products were on sale for about six months, so regular vape users across much of the state could have bought an affected device without knowing it. Officials have not publicly said how much methylene chloride was found, so the level of any exposure is not yet known.
Products, Dates, and Stores Named in the Advisory
The advisory covers regulated marijuana vaporizer delivery devices, commonly sold as cartridges or disposable vapes. According to KRDO, affected stores include locations in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Pueblo West, Denver, Las Animas, and surrounding communities.
The state's store list includes 405 locations, Denver7 reported, and the advisory also lists the specific production batches involved.
Checking a product is straightforward. Colorado requires every regulated marijuana container to carry a label showing the license number of the business that produced it and the production batch number. Consumers can compare those numbers with the batches listed in the state advisory. Anyone with an affected product should destroy it or return it to the store where it was bought for proper disposal, state officials said.
A Solvent Linked to Nervous System Harm
Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is used in adhesives, paint and coating products, metal cleaning, and chemical processing. It is not meant to be heated and inhaled.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, short-term exposure can harm the central nervous system. The agency also links longer periods of workplace exposure to liver toxicity, liver cancer, and lung cancer.
Those findings have an important limitation. The EPA's risk evaluation focused mainly on people using paint and coating removers, where exposure can be high, not on vaping. Because the state has not released the contamination level in these devices, the health risk from using an affected Craft vape cannot be estimated from the EPA data alone.
The state treats the finding as a public safety issue. The division issues these advisories "to warn the public not to consume and to dispose of any contaminated product they may have purchased."
A Repeat Problem for Colorado Regulators
This is not the first time methylene chloride has turned up in Colorado vape products. A Denver testing lab found the solvent in a popular vape brand in 2024, according to an investigation by ProPublica and The Denver Gazette. That report noted: "The chemical, methylene chloride, is prohibited by Colorado's marijuana regulators."
Reporting just before the advisory offered more detail on the current case. Colorado Politics reported a Craft product recall on Sept. 24 and said the solvent was traced to a botanically derived flavoring compound that a testing lab flagged during routine testing in August. The same reporting said Colorado's expanded testing for residual solvents, including methylene chloride, begins at the end of September.
The Marijuana Enforcement Division has posted more than 20 health and safety advisories and updates so far in 2026. Several questions remain open, including how much methylene chloride was detected, how many devices were sold, and whether other manufacturers used the same ingredient. The number of affected stores could also change if the investigation widens.
Steps for Consumers Who Bought Craft Vapes
People who own a Craft cartridge or disposable should stop using it and check the batch number on the label. If it matches the advisory, destroy the product or take it back to the store where it was bought.
Anyone who feels unwell after using an affected product should seek medical attention and report the event through the Marijuana Enforcement Division's online form. A team member from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will follow up on reports. For questions about possible chemical exposure, Poison Help is available at 1-800-222-1222. This article is general information and is not medical advice.
The Marijuana Enforcement Division's advisory page is the best source for updates, including any changes to the batch or store lists. Consumers can also sign up for email alerts through the division's website.
Key Questions Answered
Which products are affected? Regulated marijuana cartridges and disposable vapes produced by Staycon LLC, doing business as Craft, from specific batches listed in the state's Sept. 25 advisory.
When and where were they sold? Between March 27 and Sept. 25, 2026, at 405 stores, including locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Pueblo West, and Las Animas.
What is methylene chloride? An industrial solvent used in adhesives, paint and coating products, and metal cleaning. The EPA says short-term exposure can harm the central nervous system, and longer workplace exposure is linked to liver toxicity, liver cancer, and lung cancer.
Has anyone gotten sick? State officials said they had not heard of any adverse health events as of Sept. 25.
How much methylene chloride was found? The state has not released the contamination level, so the exposure risk from these devices is not yet known.
What should I do with an affected vape? Check the batch number on the label. If it matches, destroy the product or return it to the store, and report any symptoms to the Marijuana Enforcement Division.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
