Washington became the second U.S. state to allow recreational sales of marijuana to adults on July 8 when its first retail stores opened under a heavily regulated and taxed system approved by voters in November 2012.
The state’s Liquor Control Board, which regulates the fledgling marijuana sector, published the guidelines on Wednesday for the packaging and labeling of marijuana edibles. It prohibited any products, labels or packaging designed to be especially appealing to children, including lollipops and suckers, gummy candy and jelly beans.
To gain approval to market a pot-laced food item, such as brownies or bottled drinks, a processor must submit a photo of the product along with its labels and packaging.
The edible also has to pass a processing facility inspection and must be clearly labeled as containing marijuana. Edibles also must be tested for potency and to ensure that the marijuana derivatives are spread evenly throughout the products.
Washington’s move to allow recreational sales comes amid a broader trend of liberalization taking hold in many parts of the United States.
But things have started slowly in the Pacific Northwest, where Washington state regulators have issued just 25 licenses to retailers and are still processing more than 300 others. That has led to concerns about shortages. The first and only recreational pot shop to open in Seattle ran out of stock only three days after its ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Last week a Seattle-based company that makes marijuana-infused drinks and candies became the first business in the state to be approved to make pot edibles, but it was not clear when the first such products will hit shelves.
© Thomson Reuters 2014
Other Links:
How to top chicken pot pie
For the latest food news and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the NDTV Cooks app for Android or iOS.
Marijuana Brownies Are Ok, But No Lollipops: Washington State
No comments:
Post a Comment