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.