Collection: Edibles- Knockoffs

Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia currently have legalized use of medical marijuana. Recently, some states have adopted laws that legalize marijuana for recreational use. While states are relaxing their rules on use of marijuana, it is still illegal to consume or possess under federal law. 1

With a relaxation in state laws, new types of cannabis products have emerged in the market (e.g., edibles, THC concentrates, e-juice marijuana). As can be seen from images in this theme, edible marijuana is available in a number of forms including baked goods (e.g., brownies, cookies, bars), candies and chocolates, drinkables (e.g., energy drinks, water, alcoholic drinks), chips & crackers, gums and mints.

The emerging edible market has seen many marijuana retailers copy the packaging and brand names of popular edible products. Examples include, Ganja Joy bars that closely resemble Hershey’s Almond Joy bars, pot tarts that have the same packaging and flavors as the popular kids Pop Tart snacks, Hasheath that resembles Heath bars, Cannamon Toast crunch for the marijuana infused version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, and Nugtella for Nutella.”

The packaging and name of these products creates a safety risk for young children who may mistake these products for non-marijuana products and ingest them. In addition, THC concentration of edible marijuana products are widely varied with some products containing as much as 20 times the standard dose of THC. A study in Colorado found that almost half of the children seen in hospital for marijuana overdose were from exposure to recreational marijuana products.2

1. Governing. (2017). State marijuana laws in 2017. Available at http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html
2. Wang, G. S., Le Lait, M. C., Deakyne, S. J., Bronstein, A. C., Bajaj, L., & Roosevelt, G. (2016). Unintentional pediatric exposures to marijuana in Colorado, 2009-2015. JAMA pediatrics, 170(9), e160971-e160971.