Consumer Alert: Anyone who purchased ODO brand cannabis flower, batch PHX1164-ODO, should dispose of it immediately. The Arizona Department of Health Services recalled this product May 9, 2025, after tests revealed Aspergillus fungus contamination that could cause fatal infections in vulnerable users.
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Critical Information for ODO Cannabis Purchasers
The recalled ODO marijuana was distributed to Arizona dispensaries before testing detected fungal contamination. ADHS has not disclosed which cultivation facility produced the contaminated batch or which specific dispensaries sold it, advising consumers to check with their purchase locations directly.
Batch Identification:
- Product Name: ODO
- Batch Number: PHX1164-ODO
- Product Type: Cannabis flower (inhalable)
- Recall Date: May 9, 2025
- Contamination: Aspergillus species
No illnesses have been reported, according to ADHS. The producing licensee coordinated with retailers to remove products from shelves following notification.
Why Aspergillus in Cannabis Threatens Lives
Aspergillus fungus causes infections ranging from mild allergic reactions to invasive aspergillosis, a condition with 80% mortality rates even with treatment. The spores survive burning temperatures, meaning smoking or vaping contaminated flower delivers live fungus directly into lungs.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis of insurance claims data found cannabis users face 3.5 times higher risk of fungal infections compared to non-users. For Aspergillus specifically, the risk increases to 4.6 times normal.
High-risk groups include:
- Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy
- Organ transplant recipients
- HIV/AIDS patients
- Anyone taking immunosuppressive medications
- People with asthma, COPD, or cystic fibrosis
Medical marijuana patients with these conditions face a paradox: the program designed to provide safe, tested cannabis serves populations most vulnerable to contamination dangers.
Arizona Breaks Its Own Transparency Rules
ADHS violated its established protocol by withholding the cultivator’s identity in this Arizona Aspergillus recall. The department’s published procedures state recall notices will include “the cultivator’s name,” a standard followed in previous incidents.
Recent recalls with named producers:
- The Flower Shop – “Onion Bhaji” flower (May 2024)
- Nirvana Center – “Grim Reefer” flower (November 2023)
- Grow Sciences – Multiple products (July 2023)
- Cannabist – “Cherry Punch” trim (June 2023)
- Globe Farmacy – Three concentrates (November 2023)
The anonymous ODO producer avoids market accountability while consumers cannot identify and avoid a potentially problematic cultivator. ADHS provided no explanation for this departure from standard practice.
Testing Laboratory Crisis Undermines Safety
Arizona’s cannabis safety depends on fewer than 20 private laboratories that face inherent conflicts of interest: they’re paid by the companies whose products they’re supposed to fail when contaminated.
OnPoint Laboratories Settlement
State regulators documented severe violations at OnPoint Laboratories, resulting in a $470,000 settlement in 2022. The violations included:
- Falsifying Aspergillus test results
- Failing to report contamination to ADHS
- Tampering with testing data
- Maintaining improper relationships with cultivator clients
Two other laboratories received license revocation notices that year for manipulating THC potency results to satisfy clients.
Conflicting Test Results
The May 2024 Flower Shop recall exposed testing inconsistencies when two laboratories produced opposite results for the same batch. One detected Aspergillus, another cleared it. ADHS sided with the positive result after finding the clearing laboratory’s procedures suspect.
This pattern extends beyond isolated incidents. State audits regularly discover testing errors weeks after products reach consumers, meaning the primary safeguard against contamination routinely fails.
Six Major Contamination Events Document Systemic Problem
ADHS recall records show Aspergillus contamination occurs regularly in Arizona’s regulated cannabis market:
May 9, 2025
ODO flower (unnamed producer) – Aspergillus detected
May 6, 2024
The Flower Shop “Onion Bhaji” – Aspergillus found, company contested
November 27, 2023
Nirvana Center “Grim Reefer” – Aspergillus contamination
November 9, 2023
Globe Farmacy concentrates (3 products) – Aspergillus positive
July 24, 2023
Grow Sciences multiple batches – ADHS audit revealed lab missed Aspergillus
June 15, 2023
Cannabist “Cherry Punch” – Initially failed for Aspergillus, later cleared
Nearly half of 2023’s contamination recalls were reversed after retesting, raising questions about testing accuracy. Either initial tests produce false positives at alarming rates, or retesting clears actually contaminated products.
Market Consequences Mount as Trust Erodes
Arizona’s legal cannabis sales dropped from $1.42 billion in 2023 to $1.25 billion in 2024. Recurring safety failures contribute to declining consumer confidence, though multiple market factors affect sales.
Each contamination event weakens the regulated market’s fundamental promise: tested, safe products worth premium prices. Consumers questioning whether legal cannabis offers real safety advantages over untested street products may reconsider paying higher regulated market prices plus taxes.
Revenue pressure could trigger a dangerous cycle. Cultivators facing tighter margins might reduce quality control spending, increasing contamination probability and subsequent recalls.
What Immunocompromised Patients Must Know
The CDC’s clinical overview of aspergillosis details severe risks for immunocompromised individuals, yet ADHS recall notices use generic “abundance of caution” language that understates dangers.
Warning signs after cannabis consumption requiring immediate medical attention:
- Fever with cough
- Coughing blood
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath increasing over days
- Unexplained weight loss
Patients with compromised immunity should consider non-inhalable cannabis products exclusively. Edibles, tinctures, and topicals avoid direct lung exposure to potential contaminants.
Regulatory Reforms Needed Now
The Medical Marijuana Testing Advisory Council recommended specific safety improvements in 2019, including QR codes linking to test results on all packaging. ADHS regulations mandate these codes but enforcement remains inconsistent.
Four essential changes would address current vulnerabilities:
1. Cultivator Identification Required
Every recall must name the responsible producer publicly
2. Independent Testing Verification
State-run blind sampling programs would verify private lab accuracy
3. Medical Risk Warnings
Recalls must explicitly warn immunocompromised patients about specific dangers
4. QR Code Enforcement
Universal implementation allowing consumers to verify test results instantly
Industry Context and Patterns
Cannabis isn’t alone in facing contamination challenges. Food recalls like Atwater’s Spider Web Tarts show how quickly contamination can escalate from minor incidents to major public health events across regulated industries.
The difference: food producers must name themselves in recalls. Cannabis cultivators in Arizona apparently don’t.
Current Investigation Status
ADHS has released no additional information about the ODO recall scope, affected dispensaries, or the unnamed producer since May 9. The department continues laboratory audits while maintaining current recall procedures.
Without structural changes addressing laboratory conflicts, enforcement gaps, and transparency failures, Arizona’s cannabis consumers remain at risk. The ODO Aspergillus recall represents another data point in an established pattern rather than an isolated incident.
Contact Information
Arizona Department of Health Services: 602-542-1025
ADHS Marijuana Licensing and Compliance
Data compiled from ADHS public notices, state enforcement records, CDC research publications, and academic studies on cannabis contamination through August 24, 2025.
