Cannabis Consultant Seeking $5M for Permanent Heart Damage from Accident at Licensed Facility

A cannabis industry consultant who allegedly suffered permanent heart
damage during an incident at a St. Louis, Missouri cannabis facility is
seeking $5 million in damages, claiming the accident ended his career in
the industry, the Missouri Independent reports. In the lawsuit, Mark Avent
claims that during a 2022 visit to the lab, a technician accidentally
mishandled a commercial vacuum and blew fine cannabis particles into the
air which triggered a severe asthma attack.

Avent was taken to the emergency room, lost consciousness in the ambulance,
and had to have a stent inserted into his heart to save his life.

During the first day of the trial on Tuesday, John Wilbers, founder
and chairman of Blue Arrow Missouri LLC, who is also a personal injury
attorney, testified that the company acknowledged the incident
and isn’t trying to “sweep it under the rug.”

“He’s alleging that due to this inhalation, he had some asthmatic issue and
medical conditions developed, and now he can no longer work. Based upon my
experience as a personal injury lawyer, that’s not supported.” — Wilbers
during his testimony

William Meehan, Avent’s attorney, argued that the accident “was
preventable, and [Blue Arrow] haven’t taken responsibility for it.”

“Mark was a healthy person before this incident,” Meehan said during his
opening arguments. “He exercised regularly and he had no physical problems.
He had no prior heart disease, no prior heart condition.”

On top of the medical bills, Meehan said Avent has lost at least $130,000
annually in income because he can no longer work in the cannabis industry.