Dispensary Owner Says Marijuana Edibles Are Not For Amateurs

DENVER (CBS4) - Two University of Colorado students accused of bringing marijuana-laced brownies to class are out on bail. They'll be back in court later this week, accused of making their classmates and a professor sick.

Thomas Cunningham, 21, and Mary Essa, 19, are both facing felony assault charges after at least seven people got sick after eating the brownies. Three went to the hospital.

CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger wanted to know more about the dangers of marijuana edibles and went looking for answers.

Dispensaries sell edibles in boxes that list the product's THC content in milligrams. THC is the active ingredient of marijuana.

A.J. "The Hashman" Ashkar knows all about marijuana brownies. He is the owner of At Home Baked, LLC. He says making and eating such brownies is not for amateurs.

"To a non-user of marijuana, this is going to give them a floaty-head high, euphoric, possibly even an anxiety attack for up to six hours," Ashkar said.

Cunningham and Essa were arrested after serving the pot brownies to their classmates without their knowledge of the contents. It was at a "bring food" day at a history class.

"We determined they had baked those brownies and put THC or some marijuana-type substance into the brownies," Ryan Huff with CU police said.

Ashkar said there are things to do after eating pot infused brownies.

"Sugar does bring you down a bit," he said. "You should stay away from milk -- milk can often increase the effects."

At Home Baked is licensed by the state for medical marijuana products. There are a variety of types infused with hash, an extract of marijuana. They sell for about $60 a box.

With state law making some marijuana possession legal, At Home Baked is planning to enter the recreational market with a product like pixie sticks -- powdered sugar sticks infused with marijuana.