In an effort to distinguish cannabis edibles from other food products, the state of Colorado has recently rolled out new labeling requirements for edible makers to adhere to while producing their cannabis treats. The newly implemented regulations have been put in place to help improve public safety, particularly to make cannabis food less appealing to children.
In the past, Denver had released a PSA warning kids and parents about the similarities between regular candy and cannabis edibles, and have even gone so far as to ban THC Gummy Bears throughout the state. Now, new requirements will set a standard for edible producers to follow while producing and packaging their product.
For starters, a new “universal symbol” will be required on the packaging of all food items that contain cannabis. The symbol is a diamond shape embroidered with the letters “THC!”, which will help set cannabis products apart from everyday food products. Not only does this new symbol need to be on the product packaging, but it must also be implemented on the cannabis food item itself, which has forced the edibles industry to revisit their production methods in order to comply with the new laws.
Additionally, edible producers can no longer use the word “candy” or “candies” to describe their products, no matter what sugary food they actually are a take on. This regulation is an attempt to prevent edibles from appealing to children who might try out a “candy” while their parents aren’t watching. New labels will also be required to include potency and contaminant testing results on the label, ensuring that there is no question of how strong a particular edible happens to be.
In addition, edibles are now required to be sold in childproof containers and packaging, with the hope that its curbs the chance that a child will end up hospitalized after accidentally ingesting a cannabis product. After months of allowing edible companies to modify their production process to comply with the newfound requirements, such as creating specific molds with the new “THC!” logo, the laws have officially gone into effect as of October 1.
From an outside perspective, some of these new regulations may seem a little over the top. But in a thriving cannabis industry like the one found in Colorado, it’s extremely important to keep cannabis products out of the hands of minors, or the entire industry could potentially suffer as a result. State officials have taken the budding cannabis market very seriously, and by creating regulations to keep children safe from consumption, Colorado is showing that legal cannabis is here to stay.
