ARE EDIBLES THE FUTURE?

Rob Corry, one of Colorado's most prominent medical marijuana
attorneys, says the new regulatory system that goes into effect on
July 1 holds some inherent advantages for "edibles," or
marijuana-infused products.

After all, it's not just about the brownies any more. One can now
easily find marijuana-infused lollipops, chews, drinks, pills -- even
medicated olive oils and balms.

Corry says there was an intentional effort in the 2010 legislation HB
1284 to give edibles an advantage over marijuana that is smoked or
vaporized, in part because of a perception that it is safer for patients.

It's also a bit more politically palatable.

"My mother is way more likely to try a brownie than smoke a bowl,"
Corry says.

But Boulder medical marijuana attorney Jeff Gard rightly points out
that infused products do not have the same immediate effect that
accompanies smoking the medicine, because it has to be ingested and
digested. In addition, he says, the potency of edibles varies widely.

"It either doesn't work or your legs don't work," Gard
says.

Corry acknowledges that edibles are "uneven," until you find a type
you like and get used to it.

Gard counters that HB 1043, the medical marijuana "clean-up bill"
passed by the legislature this spring, contains additional regulation
of infused products, not to mention HB 1250, which was originally
aimed at banning edibles.

"Some kid got a hold of a parent's brownie and all hell broke loose,"
Gard says.

In the end, the version of HB 1250 that passed simply requires edibles
to be packaged in a way that is "significantly difficult" for children
under the age of 5 to open and that hides the product.

Dan Hartman, director of the state's Medical Marijuana Enforcement
Division, describes it as making sure "a cookie is not out there
looking like a cookie."

Corry says he's not opposed to HB 1250, although it will require
providers to take on extra costs that will be passed on to patients.

Hartman says he doesn't see much difference in the way edibles and the
smoked product are regulated.

"We're certainly not treating them any differently," he
says.

And Gard estimates that edibles make up only between 4 percent and 16
percent of his clients' business.

"Infused products are not the future of this industry," he says.