Pubdate: Sat, 02 Aug 2014
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Associated Press
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Page: A4

PANEL CONSIDERS NEW RULES FOR PRODUCERS OF POT-INFUSED TREATS

GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) - Marijuana can go in more than brownies and 
cookies. And the dizzying variety of foods that can be infused with 
the drug is complicating matters for Colorado regulators who want to 
make sure pot-infused edibles and drinks won't be confused with regular foods.

A first meeting Friday of edible marijuana makers, state regulators 
and pot critics ran into controversy early. Many seem to agree that 
pot cookies and candies should come with identifiable markers or 
colors. But what about marijuana-infused honey? Or pasta sauce?

Colorado opened recreational marijuana to adults over 21 in January. 
Since then, sales have boomed for edible pot, considered a tastier or 
healthier alternative to smoking weed. Now regulators are looking for 
ways to make sure no one accidentally eats or drinks the drug.

"I want to know what's a Duncan Hines brownie and what's a marijuana 
brownie just by looking at it. Whether you're 5 or 50, people need to 
know what that is," said Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, who 
sponsored a new law requiring edible marijuana to be "clearly identifiable."

Marijuana food and drink makers helping write those regulations 
didn't seem to oppose stamps or marks on easily marked products like 
hard candies or chocolate bars.

But the work group tripped up when contemplating all the varieties of 
foods that can be infused with marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, 
THC. Liquids, powdered drink mixes, even meats and cereals can be 
infused with THC.

"How are we going to be able to make these edibles identifiable to 
the public, so that they know this is marijuana? This is a very, very 
heavy lift," said Gina Carbone, a volunteer for Smart Colorado, a 
group critical of the marijuana industry.

Carbone suggested that some edible marijuana products - such as 
lollipops or gummy bears - shouldn't be allowed for commercial sale 
because they are likely to appeal to kids.

The panel plans to meet twice more before making a recommendation to 
the Colorado Legislature in February.

The meeting came a day after Colorado adopted emergency edible-pot 
rules aimed at making it easier for consumers to tell how much pot 
they're eating. The new rules require edible products to be easily 
divisible into "servings" of 10 mg of THC, about the amount in a 
medium-size joint.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom