Washington state to begin testing pot for pesticides

SEATTLE (AP) — More than two years after Washington state launched legal marijuana sales, it's planning to test pot for banned pesticides more regularly.

The state will spend more than $1 million to buy new equipment and hire two full-time workers to conduct the tests. The screening is expected to begin early next year and will examine marijuana where regulators have reason to suspect illegal pesticides have been used.

Washington has required testing for mold and other impurities since it began allowing recreational pot sales in 2014. Like Colorado and other states that allow recreational or medical purchases of the drug, it's struggled with regulating the use of pesticides, in part due to a lack of scientific knowledge.

There have been no reports of human illness traced to chemicals used on legal marijuana.