Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The "future" of medical marijuana in Illinois will arrive Saturday as the first marijuana-infused food comes on the market, industry officials said.
One month after medical marijuana first went on sale, the coming of edibles, oils and other infused products marks a turning point for the industry, which until now had been selling only the dried plant for smoking.
Edibles – such as chocolate bars, cookies and candies – allow patients to consume marijuana without smoking it, as many prefer. Along with other infused products, such as oils that can be vaporized for use in lotions or drops, such nonsmoking products have grown in popularity in other states to account for nearly half the market.
"It's most likely the future of the industry," said Bradley Vallerius, spokesman for Revolution Enterprises, which operates two cultivation warehouses in Illinois. "It's easier on the lungs, it's convenient, efficient and discreet."
Though the state's first medical pot dispensaries opened in early November, infused products took longer to get to market, growers said, because producing them is considerably more complex.
First, marijuana is dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol, then it's distilled into an oil that's mixed with other ingredients and made into food. Such preparation takes place at the cultivation centers where cannabis is grown before it's shipped to dispensaries.
One cultivator, Ataraxia, plans to ship its first chocolates to dispensaries Saturday. Each piece, about the size of a Frango mint, contains 10 milligrams of THC, the chief ingredient that makes users high.
"Patients need to take it slow on the edible side," Ataraxia executive Ross Morreale said. "They should take smaller pieces and wait until they see how it affects them."
Because edibles can take up to an hour to take effect, patients in other states where medical marijuana is legal have reported running into problems by ingesting too much before realizing the impact on their bodies of smaller amounts.
Bob Morgan, former director of the Illinois medical cannabis program who now offers consulting for the industry in other states, said the slogan is "Start low, go slow" – referring to the dosage and the time it's consumed.
In response to concerns about overdoses, regulators have tried to tighten the rules on edibles. In Colorado, where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, any food containing marijuana must now be wrapped in opaque packaging to dissuade children from consuming it, and must have the food itself stamped with "THC," said Gina Carbone, co-founder of Smart Colorado, a group that works to protect children from the drug.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Smoking No Longer Only Option For Medical Marijuana Patients
Author: Robert McCoppin
Contact: Email The Author
Photo Credit: CBS News
Website: Chicago Tribune
One month after medical marijuana first went on sale, the coming of edibles, oils and other infused products marks a turning point for the industry, which until now had been selling only the dried plant for smoking.
Edibles – such as chocolate bars, cookies and candies – allow patients to consume marijuana without smoking it, as many prefer. Along with other infused products, such as oils that can be vaporized for use in lotions or drops, such nonsmoking products have grown in popularity in other states to account for nearly half the market.
"It's most likely the future of the industry," said Bradley Vallerius, spokesman for Revolution Enterprises, which operates two cultivation warehouses in Illinois. "It's easier on the lungs, it's convenient, efficient and discreet."
Though the state's first medical pot dispensaries opened in early November, infused products took longer to get to market, growers said, because producing them is considerably more complex.
First, marijuana is dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol, then it's distilled into an oil that's mixed with other ingredients and made into food. Such preparation takes place at the cultivation centers where cannabis is grown before it's shipped to dispensaries.
One cultivator, Ataraxia, plans to ship its first chocolates to dispensaries Saturday. Each piece, about the size of a Frango mint, contains 10 milligrams of THC, the chief ingredient that makes users high.
"Patients need to take it slow on the edible side," Ataraxia executive Ross Morreale said. "They should take smaller pieces and wait until they see how it affects them."
Because edibles can take up to an hour to take effect, patients in other states where medical marijuana is legal have reported running into problems by ingesting too much before realizing the impact on their bodies of smaller amounts.
Bob Morgan, former director of the Illinois medical cannabis program who now offers consulting for the industry in other states, said the slogan is "Start low, go slow" – referring to the dosage and the time it's consumed.
In response to concerns about overdoses, regulators have tried to tighten the rules on edibles. In Colorado, where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, any food containing marijuana must now be wrapped in opaque packaging to dissuade children from consuming it, and must have the food itself stamped with "THC," said Gina Carbone, co-founder of Smart Colorado, a group that works to protect children from the drug.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Smoking No Longer Only Option For Medical Marijuana Patients
Author: Robert McCoppin
Contact: Email The Author
Photo Credit: CBS News
Website: Chicago Tribune
