Marijuana edibles are nothing new. They have been around for decades, most commonly in the form of brownies and cookies. Marijuana edibles, if prepared properly, can be much stronger than marijuana in flower form. Whereas marijuana consumed in smoke or vapor form goes into your nervous system via the lungs, eaten marijuana goes into your blood stream via the digestive process. That’s why the high from eating marijuana can last so long, and can be felt throughout your entire body. Veteran marijuana consumers know this, and either take it easy on edibles, or if they are like me, prepare ahead of time for a mega-high.
I don’t like weak edibles. I have never consumed an edible that was ‘too strong.’ However, I am willing to recognize that not everyone is like me. A lot of people are either trying marijuana for the first time right now, or are trying marijuana again after a very long break. People that fit into those two categories should proceed with caution when consuming marijuana, in edible form or smoke or vapor. Unfortunately some people have tried to go from zero to hero on edibles in Colorado, which has resulted in some unfavorable media coverage for the industry.
New rules out in Colorado surrounding marijuana edibles will hopefully calm the media down and give opponents like Kevin Sabet less to talk about. The new rules include:
Products still have a 100 mg THC limit, but they have to be able to be separated into 10 mg or less servings.
Manufacturers have to put single serving edibles into child-resistant packages before shipping, instead of relying on retailers to do so.
Liquid items also have to be in similar packaging, with serving sizes clearly displayed.
Changes will become effective on November 1st after public comment has occurred. Even more changes may happen after public input. While I personally think that the individual consumer has a lot of responsibility to know what they are consuming, I don’t see the rule changes having that much affect on things and don’t think they will be a problem for the industry. I’m hopeful that now if a rookie eats too much, they can no longer play dumb and act like it wasn’t their fault that they got too high and acted the fool, and then try to blame it on an industry that is doing everything it can to be responsible.
