Sensi: New Regulations for Edibles

Leland Rucker, Senior Editor at Sensi Magazine, takes a look at new regulations regarding edibles in Colorado.

Colorado made some changes to its edibles rules and regulations that went into effect October 1st. Now, marijuana edibles shaped like humans, animals, fruits or cartoons — basically anything that looks like candy — won’t be allowed, and potency information must be displayed with a larger font size, circled or highlighted in a bright color on the labels.

The new rules are part of the ongoing evolution of Amendment 64 and edibles rules in general. The state has struggled with regulations on dosage size, how they are packaged and how to distinguish a cannabis edible from a piece of chocolate., and we can expect more changes in coming years.

Most businesses had already complied before the change in the law. Boulder-based AmeriCanna, for instance, launched in early 2016 with gummies shaped like a pot leaf.

This week on Sensi, we also take a look at the special session that had been called by Gov. Hickenlooper. The Republican-controlled Senate Transportation Committee ended the special session when the Transportation Committee led by Republican lawmakers killed two bills that had been brought forth by Democrats over how to resolve a tax error that is costing RTD and other entities across the state hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue.

Senate Bill 267, passed in May, eliminated a 2.9 percent tax on recreational pot in favor of an increase in the special sales tax on marijuana from 10 to 15 percent. The rewrite mistakenly blocked special districts — like RTD and the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District — from collecting on their portion the special sales tax on marijuana.

In rejecting Gov. John Hickenlooper’s call to fix the bill now, House Republicans argued that the bills likely violate the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, that it could have waited for the regular legislative session starting in January, and that the special session was a waste of time and money.