PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon medical marijuana patient who was badly burned in an explosion while he was legally using butane as a solvent to make hash oil is suing the makers and sellers of the fuel.
Kevin Tveisme, 28, of Portland, was injured in 2013 when his furnace clicked on, igniting butane vapor. The explosion destroyed his garage and injured a friend, Joseph Westom, who died 18 days later.
Treating marijuana with butane as a solvent extracts the potent hash oil at a low cost, but butane vapor is volatile. Explosions have become more common with the spread of legal medical and recreational marijuana.
Making hash oil
Ban in Colorado: New limits for homemade hash oil extraction head to Colorado governor
Watch: Neighbor records butane explosions and fire in Washington hash oil extraction
More coverage: Read up on other explosive incidents
Watch The Cannabist Show. Follow The Cannabist on Twitter and Facebook
As a medical marijuana cardholder, Tveisme was allowed to make hash oil under Oregon law, the lawsuit says.
Although the butane canisters had a “flammable” marking, the lawsuit says, the butane should have come with stickers and instructional brochures specifically warning of the volatility of the butane’s vapor.
The lawsuit also says the odorless butane should have been treated, like natural gas, with a smelly chemical to make its dangers obvious.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in state court in Multnomah County. It seeks $11 million in damages.
The suit was filed against a dozen defendants, including Shell Oil Products, a California-based distributor, and a Shell station in southeast Portland where the lawsuit says the butane was purchased. The owner of the store couldn’t be reached for comment.
