Among the new state laws that took effect Aug. 28 was one designed to make marijuana-infused products less appealing to children.
Missouri voters approved medical marijuana by a wide margin two years ago. Since then, more than 60,000 Missourians have applied for and received medical marijuana cards.
In states where marijuana is legal in some form, the edible industry has thrived. The variety of shapes, textures, colors and types have also boomed.
The problem is some edibles have popped up across the country looking like they are something out of a cereal box, including child-friendly edibles that look identical to gummy bears sold at stores.
Fortunately, Missouri lawmakers aren't allowing manufacturers to use shapes like animals, fruit or cartoon characters for their products, according to a news release from the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association (MoCann-Trade).
However, the products may be manufactured in geometric shapes, such as circles, squares or rectangles.
The news release said the edibles must be contained in packages stamped with a diamond containing the letters "THC," signifying the primary psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. Packages must also be stamped with the letter "M" to indicate it is a medicinal product and the number of milligrams of THC contained within the product. The marks must be prominently placed on the front of the packages.
Some states have approved medicinal marijuana before approving recreational marijuana. We hope that doesn't happen here in Missouri. However, even if it does, marketing marijuana to children in any form isn't appropriate.
We commend the Missouri Legislature for banning child-friendly edibles, and we encourage lawmakers to continue to monitor the state's foray into legalized marijuana.
News Tribune