Marijuana sales are soon to begin for the general public in Washington State. But state officials who regulate the products say they want to make sure those who might purchase edible marijuana products are safe. State officials say they are concerned that there may be some folks who are not prepared for the experience of eating cannabis products in the form of cookies or candies.
Liquor control board member Chris Marr of Spokane says they want to avoid reports from Colorado about people who got more than they bargained for when they ingested marijuana. That’s because the amount of the psychoactive ingredient, THC in prepared food products can often be way more than if it is smoked.
New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote about her experience when she ate a candy from Colorado laced with pot, and she found herself “curled up in a hallucinatory state for eight hours”. Later she found out she had eaten a dose recommended for several people, but there was no indication on the label.
Chris Marr says they have issued an emergency rule where his agency will have to approve labels for any product sold in the store, as well as other criteria.
Marr: “We do have dosage limits as to how much will actually be in a package, and those apply to extracts as well as edibles. Labeling requiring yes we do indicate how much can be, as well as the potency of the THC.”
Marr says in an example like cookies, the packages will be sold to indicate it is a dosage for one person. He says there are also plans to distribute educational brochures in the stores to make sure people know the risks that come with ingesting marijuana.
