Colorado Lawmakers Agree Edible Pot Must Get New Look
DENVER (CBS4/AP) - Edible marijuana sold in Colorado must have a new look. That's according to state senators from both parties who rejected a bill Wednesday to loosen a requirement that pot cookies and candies not look like regular foods.
"How is a young child or a teenager supposed to identify this food and make a good choice?" asked Smart Colorado founder Gina Carbone.
The 0-5 vote was a stunning rejection for a bill supported by the new marijuana industry to back away from a law that marijuana-infused treats have a distinct look by 2016. The bill sponsor called the requirement for all foods an example of "micromanagement" because it can't be easily applied to liquids.
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Lawmakers adopted the requirement last year amid concerns that pot cookies and brownies can be accidentally eaten by people who don't know they contain pot.
Students who support the edible requirement believe labels matter because edibles are a problem in their schools. Alex Latten witnessed a fellow student get tricked into eating a pot edible on campus.
"An innocent kid who didn't know what he was being given was handed an edible and he ate it and he felt very sick," said Latten.
Edible manufacturers argue cost is a major factor in relabeling. The owner of Incredibles, Bob Eschino, says he spend $30,000 to change the shape of his pot chocolates so they're compliant. He said the packaging is the most expensive part of his product with each child-resistant bag costing $1.50 for a $6 product.
"As our cost keeps increasing on both the recreational and medical markets, you're forcing people back to the black market because we've become cost prohibited," said Eschino.
The bill would also have changed labeling requirements.
LINK: Senate Bill 136
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