Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
A state senate bill concerning the appearance of marijuana edibles died Wednesday in committee, where it was voted down unanimously.
Senate Bill 136, sponsored by Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, and Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, would have repealed a 2014 requirement that marijuana edibles be "clearly identifiable, when practicable, with a standard symbol."
Requiring a standard symbol is expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
Colorado lawmakers and the marijuana industry, however, continue to grapple with how to clearly identify marijuana edibles once they are removed from packaging.
Proponents of SB 136, who spoke before the Health and Human Service Committee, included marijuana edible producers who said current packaging and labeling should be suffice.
About five million marijuana edibles were sold statewide last year. Marking or stamping each piece would be expensive and impractical, said Bob Eschino, a founding partner of incredibles, an edibles producer.
"As an industry, there's no clear, realistic way to mark every product," Eschino said.
Even if every edible were stamped, the mark could be scraped off or removed, Eschino said. Marking each edible individually will be expensive, driving costs and prices up, which could then fuel "black market" products.
Opponents of the bill, who spoke Wednesday, included teenage school students, and concerned parents, who voiced fears about unmarked edibles being given out to unsuspecting people at gatherings, parties and at school.
Committee members were concerned about SB 136 repealing previous legislative language, which calls for a standard symbol.
"It seems there are competing interests here," said Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton. "It's time for (marijuana) businesses to step up and be good corporate citizens."
The committee voted 5-0 to kill the bill.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana labeling bill dies in committee by unanimous vote - The Denver Post
Author: Kieran Nicholson
Contact: knicholson@denverpost.com
Photo Credit: The New York Times
Website: Colorado Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, Jobs - The Denver Post
Senate Bill 136, sponsored by Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, and Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, would have repealed a 2014 requirement that marijuana edibles be "clearly identifiable, when practicable, with a standard symbol."
Requiring a standard symbol is expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
Colorado lawmakers and the marijuana industry, however, continue to grapple with how to clearly identify marijuana edibles once they are removed from packaging.
Proponents of SB 136, who spoke before the Health and Human Service Committee, included marijuana edible producers who said current packaging and labeling should be suffice.
About five million marijuana edibles were sold statewide last year. Marking or stamping each piece would be expensive and impractical, said Bob Eschino, a founding partner of incredibles, an edibles producer.
"As an industry, there's no clear, realistic way to mark every product," Eschino said.
Even if every edible were stamped, the mark could be scraped off or removed, Eschino said. Marking each edible individually will be expensive, driving costs and prices up, which could then fuel "black market" products.
Opponents of the bill, who spoke Wednesday, included teenage school students, and concerned parents, who voiced fears about unmarked edibles being given out to unsuspecting people at gatherings, parties and at school.
Committee members were concerned about SB 136 repealing previous legislative language, which calls for a standard symbol.
"It seems there are competing interests here," said Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton. "It's time for (marijuana) businesses to step up and be good corporate citizens."
The committee voted 5-0 to kill the bill.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana labeling bill dies in committee by unanimous vote - The Denver Post
Author: Kieran Nicholson
Contact: knicholson@denverpost.com
Photo Credit: The New York Times
Website: Colorado Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, Jobs - The Denver Post
