There’s more to marijuana edibles than just pot brownies.
Edibles are essentially any consumable product containing marijuana.
Edibles are now legal in Michigan, and they are regulated in the state. But this raises a variety of questions for people on both sides of the aisle.
Not all edibles will get someone high, and not all edibles are even safe. The effects from consuming an edible are not felt immediately.
“There are pros and cons to edibles,” MCCC student Kelly Daniels said. “I know they’re a lot healthier than smoking, but it’s hard to know how much you’re getting.”
Although edibles are legal under state law, they are still illegal under federal law, like all forms of marijuana. MCCC accepts federal grants, so they will enforce this law.
MCCC policy bans edibles from campus, along with any other forms of
marijuana.
The designation “marijuana edible” itself is an umbrella term for all consumable products containing marijuana that one might ingest.
What normally comes to mind are pot brownies, hash cookies, and space cakes.
Space cakes, such as this batch from Amsterdam, are a colorful variety of edible.
However, edibles take on many other forms. There are also cannabis gummies, ice cream, and types of gum to name just a few. Any food can be an edible if prepared with cannabis.
“In addition to placing marijuana directly into food, marijuana-infused cooking oil can be used when frying or searing food, and marijuana-infused butter can be spread directly on prepared food,” justthinktwice.gov said.
Not all edible marijuana products are foods, either. “Drinkables” such as cannabis tea are also on the market.
The main active ingredient in cannabis is a chemical called THC.
THC is responsible for getting someone high. If a mixture containing cannabis is cooked at a higher temperature, it will release more THC, giving it a stronger effect.
The preparation of edibles entirely determines their effects. Both the amount of cannabis added to the edible and manner the edible is cooked determines the outcome.
“Edibles, however, take between 1-3 hours (to take effect) because food is absorbed into the bloodstream through the liver,” justthinktwice.gov said.
THC can be moderated with another chemical called CBD.
“We suggest using CBD in foods served toward the end of a meal or serving CBD water throughout the meal to counter any effects from eating too much THC,” cannabis chef Coreen Carroll said.
Some states that legalized marijuana have created specific regulation describing the distribution and consumption of edibles.
Michigan does not have a limit on THC levels in edibles. However, there is a rule stating that the amount of THC in an edible must be stated on its packaging.
Part of Rule 33 (6-A) states that no edibles can be associated with or have cartoons, caricatures, toys, colors, designs, shapes, labels, or packaging that would appeal to minors.
To that end, candy edibles or ones resembling candy are illegal in Michigan.
Student Courtney Kish said they should be regulated more, as the possibility of unintended consequences may happen.
