The state of Colorado is looking to label marijuana edibles with red stop signs and remove the word “candy” from their packaging.
The decision should not come as a surprise since many such products like brownies, cookies, lollipops, gummy bears, chocolates, mint-flavored drinks, neon-colored drinks, and others, can easily be confused by children, and even adults, with regular sweets.
In fact, hospitals have already reported cases of young children and adult men who’ve accidentally consumed marijuana sweets believing their regular sweets. The effects usually resemble anxiety attacks or a state of psychosis, especially since people who aren’t used to consuming the drug tend to eat or drink too much of these edibles as well as consume them too fats.
As a response, earlier this week, on Wednesday (August 11, 2015), state marijuana regulators released a document with new rules relating to the subject.
Marijuana edibles in Colorado will sell with an octagon shaped stop sign on their packaging. The symbol will have the letters “THC” in the middle in order to draw attention and inform people that this is a marijuana infused product as THC is psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana.
What’s more the THC stop sign would not only have to be present on the packaging, but also on the products themselves, in the case of edibles.
As far as marijuana drinks go, they would only be allowed to sell as single servings, rather than in packs of two (2) or more. One serving can not exceed 10 milligrams of THC.
Diane Carlson, member of Smart Colorado, a parents’ group that has fought to convince the state to give marijuana edibles a distinct look, gave a statement saying that “It’s time we have a tool to really let people know there is pot in something”.
It’s worth mentioning that this is not the first time the subjected is being debated. State marijuana regulators rejected an earlier proposal that suggested marking edible marijuana products with the symbol for the marijuana plant, or leaf. Their argument was that parents believed such a symbol would end up attracting young children, rather than discouraging them from buying and / or consuming these products.
Pre-made marijuana edibles would also be banned if the new rules are accepted. Manufacturers would not be allowed to buy bulk candy and then spray it with cannabis oil.
Manufacturers have already started demanding more clarification as they are not sure what exactly the term “pre-made product” applies to. For instance they use eggs when making backed goods, and one manufacturer by the name of Dan Anglin asked: “Do I have to have chickens out back for the eggs?”.
The state of Colorado has slowly but steadily taken matters of precaution. Regulators have already banned manufacturers of marijuana edibles from using cartoon characters on the packaging of their products.
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division has also given manufacturers until January 2016 to give their marijuana edibles a distinct look that keeps them from getting confused with regular sweets and foods.
But some argue that not all marijuana edibles should be held to the same standards. Rep. Jonathan Singer from D-Longmont gave a statement saying that he doest think products such as granola, salad dressing, and other edibles “that aren’t attractive to kids” should not be “held to the same high standard of marking, stamping or coloring”.
Image Source: substance.com
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