The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) once again cautioned people to keep their edibles out of reach from children, especially the ones with sketchy, colorful packaging that might appeal to children.

On May 13, the FDA issued a warning, sounding the alarm about lookalike products that mimic candy and more recently—children’s cereal.

Copycat products that were highlighted in the warning mimic Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, and Trix, among others.

There are two reasons not to support gray area cannabis products like these: the potential appeal to children being one, and the other being the ethical violation of blatantly ripping off the intellectual property of mainstream food companies. But the FDA was mainly concerned about the physical symptoms that could occur in children.

“The FDA is aware of multiple media reports describing children and adults who accidentally consumed copycat edible products containing THC and experienced adverse events,” the organization wrote. “Additionally, from January 2021 through April 24, 2022, the FDA received over 100 adverse event reports related to children and adults who consumed edible products containing THC.”

Symptoms to look out for include “hallucinations” and “vomiting.”

“Some individuals who ate these edible products reportedly experienced adverse events such as hallucinations, increased heart rate and vomiting, and many required medical intervention or hospital admission,” the warning continues. “Seven of the reports specifically mention the edible product to be a copycat of popular foods, such as Cocoa Pebbles, Nerds Rope, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and Starburst.”

Separating Dangers from Myth

Both CBD and THC show promise in pediatrics for mental and physical conditions in controlled doses, such as intractable epilepsy, but children’s small bodies usually can’t withstand THC like an adult. If a small child (or pet) consumes them by accident, it can quickly become “a situation.” All adults carry the responsibility of keeping their edibles out of reach, and most do.

But sometimes, hysteria makes these warnings seem less credible. For children and adults, a “whiteout” can be a scary experience, but “overdoses solely by marijuana are unlikely,” even the CDC admits. At the crack of October 1, we receive our annual warning about supposed cannabis-infused candy being passed out to children on Halloween, but sometimes said stories are debunked.

The FDA gave three recommendations in the event that a child consumes an edible:

• Call 9-1-1 or get emergency medical help right away if you or someone in your care has serious side effects from these products. Always keep these products in a safe place out of reach of children.
• Call the local poison control center (1-800-222-1222) if a child has consumed these products. Do not wait for symptoms to call.
• Contact your healthcare provider if you or someone in your care recently ingested these products and you have health concerns.

The FDA also gave three ways to file a complaint in a dark warning to people with nosy neighbors, living in fear of people dropping the dime and calling Child Protective Services. It’s unclear if the complaint avenues are intended for parents themselves or others.

“Health care professionals, patients and consumers are encouraged to report complaints and cases of exposure and adverse events to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program,” the warning reads.

• Call an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator if you wish to speak directly to a person about your problem.
• Complete an electronic Voluntary MedWatch form online.
• Complete a paper Voluntary MedWatch form that can be mailed to the FDA.

Last year, over 100 people dialed in.

Copycat Edibles Are a Problem, Not Only for Children

As it turns out, mainstream food companies essentially want the same thing, but mostly for a different reason. On April 27, a group of a dozen major food companies called on Congress to crack down on the growing number of THC-infused copycat knockoffs.

“Children are increasingly threatened by the unscrupulous use of famous brand logos, characters, trademarks, and trade dress on THC-laced edible products. While cannabis (and incidental amounts of THC) may be legal in some states, the use of these famous marks, clearly without approval of the brand owners, on food products has created serious health and safety risks for consumers, particularly children, who cannot tell the difference between these brands’ true products and copycat THC products that leverage the brand’s fame for profit,” the companies wrote in the letter.

Parents with small children and teens are advised to double check that their edibles are out of reach from children.

Rhode Island House and Senate committees approved recently revised bills to legalize marijuana on Wednesday, sending them to the floor of both chambers for final passage, which is expected on Tuesday.

First the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Joshua Miller (D) in a 9-1 vote. Hours later, the House Finance Committee advanced the chamber’s identical version from Rep. Scott Slater (D) in a 12-2 vote.

Slater told fellow lawmakers ahead of the House panel’s vote that the goal of his bill is to “legalize consumption and sale of cannabis for adults in a safe and orderly way.”

He said the revised bill “represents a solid platform to launch” a legal cannabis market in the state, also noting that one drafting error in the legislation that would inadvertently increase penalties for certain marijuana activity will be fixed with a floor amendment next week.

These actions come one day after the lawmakers unveiled the revised legalization legislation, which was the product of months of negotiations within the legislature and with the office of the Gov. Dan McKee (D), who introduced his own reform proposal as part of his budget in March.

The basic components of the new substitute amendment are consistent with an earlier version of bill as introduced and considered during earlier committee hearings in March, but there were key changes made concerning issues such as expungements, regulatory appointments, licensing authority and the timeline for implementation.

Here’s what the revised marijuana legalization proposal would accomplish: 

Adults 21 and older could purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis and grow up to six plants (only three of which could be mature) for personal use.

The allowable possession limit for marijuana stored in a given household would be maxed out at 10 ounces.

The state would automatically expunge prior marijuana possession convictions for amounts now being made legal by July 1, 2024, but those who petition the court for relief would have their cases expedited.

Regulatory responsibility would be shared by a new independent Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) and an administrative Cannabis Office. A new advisory board would also assist.

The governor would be responsible for making appointments to the CCC.

Adult-use marijuana sales would be subject to the state’s seven percent sales tax, a 10 percent excise tax and a local three percent tax for municipalities that allow cannabis businesses to operate.

For the initial rollout, a total of 33 marijuana retailers could be licensed. Twenty-four of those licenses would be new standalone adult-use retailers, divided up equally between six geographic zones of the state, and nine other hybrid licenses could be approved for existing medical cannabis dispensaries if they pay a $125,000 fee for the privilege to add recreational sales.

Of the 24 standalone retailers, 25 percent would need to go to social equity applicants and another 25 percent would be for worker-owned cooperatives.

No single entity would be allowed to possess more than one business license, but people could invest in multiple companies.

Approved hybrid licensees could start to grow and manufacture marijuana for adult consumers starting August 1, 2022.

Adult-use sales would start on December 1, 2022.

Possession of more than one ounce but up to two ounces for adults 18 and older would be decriminalized, with people facing a civil penalty without the threat of jail time.

Part of the money collected from cannabis licensing fees would support a new “Social Equity Assistance Fund.”

The fund would “provide assistance to applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition of cannabis,” according to an earlier summary.

Equity business applicants would need to meet one of several criteria to qualify, including at least 51 percent ownership by people who have resided in a disproportionately impacted area for five of the past 10 years, 51 percent ownership by people who have faced arrests or convictions over offenses that would qualify for expungements under the law or having income that does not exceed 400 percent of the median income in a disproportionately impacted area for five of the past 10 years.

A business that has at least 10 employees, with at least 51 percent residing in disproportionally impacted areas or who have been arrested or convicted for an expungable offense offense under the bill would also qualify as would being able to demonstrate significant experience in types of businesses that promote economic development.

There would be a two-year moratorium on licensing additional cultivators beyond those that are already operating for the medical cannabis market.

Regulators would also be responsible for setting limits on “cannabis product serving sizes, doses, and potency, including, but not limited to, regulations which provide requirements for reasonable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) potency limits for each type of cannabis product sold by a licensee and reasonable potency or dosing limits for cannabis concentrates and edible products, that shall apply for adult use cannabis only.”

Local municipalities could opt out of allowing marijuana retailers with voter approval via ballot referendums, but not if they currently have medical cannabis compassion centers operating in their jurisdiction. They could also set their own rules on public consumption through ordinances.

The bill also removes fees for medical cannabis plant tags and patient IDs once adult-use sales start.

Miller, who sponsored an earlier legalization proposal that was approved in the Senate last year, previously said that lawmakers “made our best attempt” to get the provisions right, and he stressed his openness to feedback from colleagues and stakeholders.

In a statement on Tuesday, the governor’s office thanked lawmakers for “their collaboration on this legislation.”

“While this bill is different than the Governor’s original proposal—it does accomplish his priorities of making sure legalization is equitable, controlled, and safe,” a McKee spokesperson said. “We look forward to reviewing the final bill that comes out of the General Assembly and signing legalization of adult use cannabis into law.”

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Both Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D) and House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi (D) have said they are comfortable with the move toward legalization, and they’ve weighed in on various provisions related to issues like equity in the industry and the regulatory model for a cannabis market. But they’ve also said they’re comfortable with the gradual pace of the reform and don’t want to rush the legislative process.

Shekarchi said that while he feels reform is “inevitable” in Rhode Island and bound to happen “soon,” he wanted to take time to work with lawmakers on reaching a workable deal.

The governor is supportive of legalization and proposed his own reform plan this year as part of his requested budget. Some of the initial differences between the lawmaker-led legislation and the governor’s measure were resolved in the latest substitute amendment, and there were compromises made in other areas.

For example, McKee’s plan called for automatic expungements without a requirement for people to petition the court for relief. The compromise that lawmakers landed on was to provide automatic record sealing by a certain date while creating an expedited process for those who proactively petitioned for relief.

The governor also proposed having the state Department of Business Regulation be the sole regulatory body for the marijuana market. The agency would share that responsibility with an independent commission under the revised bill.

Lawmakers did not change their mind about permitting limited home cultivation for personal use, however, even though McKee’s measure would not allow home grow.

Under the governor’s plan, 25 percent of marijuana tax revenue and licensing fees would go to the “regulatory, public health, and public safety costs associated with adult-use cannabis.” Fifteen percent would go to local governments and 60 percent would go to the state general fund.

The executive summary of McKee’s budget proposal says that the state’s sales tax revenue would be “boosted by the proposed introduction of adult-use cannabis tax revenue in FY 2023.” The state is estimating that it will collect $1.2 million in general revenue for the 2023 fiscal year and $16.9, “with a full year of sales in FY 2024.”

The revenue projections and provisions largely reflect what the governor proposed in his last budget request, with the exception of the expungements language.

Not only does the governor’s plan not allow for home grow, it also sets out a series of fines and penalties for personal cultivation of any number of plants. For example, a person who unlawfully grows one to five plants would face a penalty of $2,000 per plant and an “order requiring forfeiture and/or destruction of said plants,” according to the text of the proposed legislation.

The bill also includes language to create a Cannabis Reinvestment Task Force that would be required to study and issue recommendations on using marijuana tax revenue for “job training, small business access to capital, affordable housing, health equity, and neighborhood and community development.”

The proposal calls for 25 marijuana retailers to be licensed each year for the first three years of implementation. Those would be awarded on a lottery basis, but at least five would be specifically given to minority-owned businesses, a category. Additional licenses would be issued in the future based on market demand.

The House Finance Committee discussed the governor’s proposal to end prohibition at an earlier hearing last year.

A coalition of 10 civil rights and drug policy reform advocacy groups—including the Rhode Island chapters of the ACLU and NAACP—had demanded that lawmakers move ahead with enacting marijuana reform in the state before the end of 2021. But that did not pan out.

Lawmakers have also noted that neighboring states like Connecticut and Massachusetts have enacted legalization, and that adds impetus for the legislature to pursue reform in the state.

Both the governor and the leaders’ legalization plans are notably different than the proposal that former Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) had included in her budget in 2020. Prior to leaving office to join the Biden administration as commerce secretary, she called for legalization through a state-run model.

McKee gave initial insights into his perspective on the reform last January, saying that “it’s time that [legalization] happens” and that he’s “more leaning towards an entrepreneurial strategy there to let that roll that way.”

Meanwhile, Rhode Island lawmakers introduced a pair of drug decriminalization bills in March—including one focused on psilocybin and buprenorphine that would authorize doctors to prescribe the psychedelic mushroom.

Last year, the governor also signed a historic bill to allow safe consumption sites where people could use illicit drugs under medical supervision and receive resources to enter treatment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee also held a hearing last year on legislation that would end criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of drugs and replace them with a $100 fine.

Delaware Governor Makes First Comments On Marijuana Legalization Bill Sent To His Desk

Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

The Campaign for Sensible Cannabis Laws is a nonpartisan organization that is striving to “reform Iowa’s medical and recreational cannabis laws based on fairness, financial prudence, and common sense.”

The group recently launched its newest campaign, which is led by Bradley Knott and Pete D’Alessandro. Recently, Knott authored an article about their drive to get Iowa up to speed with other states that have legalized cannabis. “Cannabis reform is sweeping the country. From ruby red South Dakota and Montana to perpetually blue New York and New Jersey, majorities from across the political spectrum are voting for reform. In some states it’s a stronger medical program,” Knott wrote. “In other states voters have gone all in for both medical and recreational cannabis. In Iowa, we don’t have a choice. We don’t even have a voice.”

Knott explains how tax revenue of Iowa’s neighboring states have been invested back into the community in ways of education, health care, and other beneficial services. He also refers to a poll from 2021, which found that eight of out 10 Iowans supported a stronger medical cannabis program, and 71% of state residents under age 35 supported adult-use legalization (with 56% of those between 35-54 also supporting adult-use as well).

Despite this positive data, many legislators in Iowa are not on board with the idea. When Illinois legalized cannabis, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds expressed very clearly that she doesn’t support the cause. “I do not support recreational marijuana. I don’t. I won’t be the governor to do that,” she told The Gazette in June 2019. She shared her belief that cannabis is a gateway drug that leads to the use of other drugs.

Knott elaborates that state legislators should listen to the people, who should be able to vote on the topic. “Iowans are sensible people. They are proud of their state and have compassion toward others in need. And Iowa’s current cannabis laws make no sense,” he states plainly. “They make no sense if you want to capture lost tax dollars going to Illinois and Colorado. Or you want to build on and diversify Iowa’s excellence in agriculture, or stop the brain drain and keep the young folks here. Iowa’s cannabis laws make no sense if you want to help people who suffer from, or care for someone with, chronic pain, autism, cancer, or seizures. They make no sense if you believe in equal treatment or wise use of public safety dollars and keeping nonviolent offenders from crowding jails.”

There are a few Iowa legislators who support legalization though, as seen with the recently proposed Senate Joint Resolution 2003, which would have amended the Iowa constitution to legalize adult-use cannabis. However, it did not garner enough attention to proceed as law, which The Gazette states is due to the Republican-controlled House and Senate. Legislators like Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls believe that legalization is “long past due” though. “Democrats support legalization and Republicans oppose legalization, [and] Iowans who want legal cannabis need to vote for Democrats this election,” Wahls said.

In December 2021, Iowa state senators Joe Bolkcom, Janet Petersen and Sarah Trone Garriott joined to push a constitutional amendment for adult-use legalization. Bolkcom called out opposing legislators who aren’t considering the will of the people. “This has become a mainstream issue. “The majority of Iowans support this,” Bolkcom said. “The Republicans are in the minority on this. That said, we need their help to move this constitutional amendment to voters so they can have their voices heard.”

The Campaign for Sensible Cannabis Laws welcomes Iowan support for the cause and offers a petition to be signed on its website, as well as opportunities to donate to the grassroots legalization effort.