Edible Marijuana in Colorado

World Today

Legislators in the state of Colorado are considering new restrictions on the packaging and labeling of edible marijuana. Sales of edible pot have soared ever since recreational marijuana was legalized on January 1st. But some doctors say the products can also be quite risky, even dangerous. CCTV’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports from Denver.

Edible Marijuana in Colorado

Legislators in the state of Colorado are considering new restrictions on the packaging and labeling of edible marijuana. Sales of edible pot have soared ever since recreational marijuana was legalized on January 1st. But some doctors say the products can also be quite risky, even dangerous. CCTV's Hendrik Sybrandy reports from Denver.

At the BotanaCare dispensary in Northglenn, Colorado, it’s not just stuff you smoke that’s available over the counter. Owner Robin Hackett says edible pot is a lifeline for her medical marijuana patients and more and more recreational users like it too. She gets very few complaints.

According to the coroner, 19-year-old Levy Thamba ate some marijuana-infused cookies, became hostile and then jumped over a 4th floor balcony railing to his death. It was classified as an accident but pot was termed a significant contributing factor.

Dr. Alvin Bronstein of the Rocky Mountain Poison Center says emergency room visits by people who’ve consumed edibles are way up. He says these products can fool people because they don’t take effect right away.

A study by the Denver Post found that the levels of THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, often differ dramatically from what’s listed on the edibles label.