Pubdate: Wed, 09 Sep 2015
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2015 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Griffin Swartzell

CANNABIS CLUBS GET SERIOUS, LIMITS ON HOME GROWING, AND MORE

Diamonds

In Denver, state regulators continue to consider rules for keeping 
marijuana edibles clearly labeled. Here's a rundown of what's been going on.

The Marijuana Enforcement Division's (MED) first design for a label 
on edibles was a red octagon with "THC" in the middle. However, on 
Aug. 28, Marijuana Business Daily reported that the octagonal logo 
proposed has been scrapped in favor of a diamond-shaped design. 
According to several reports, edibles producers believed the original 
design looked too much like a stop sign, with a Denver Post editorial 
comparing it to "asking the industry to put a skull and cross bones on items."

If the new design goes into effect unchanged next year, edibles 
packaging will get the diamond with red ink, and marks directly on 
the edibles will get the outline.

Since the MED especially wants to make edibles unappealing to 
children, the current draft of the proposed rules bans edibles from 
using the word "candy" on any packaging. Also, manufacturers would be 
banned from buying pre-made candy and applying a medicated coating. 
According to an Associated Press story, the rule would allow for 
commercial food products to be included so long as they are 
unrecognizable and not advertised. So using chopped Snickers bars in 
infused ice cream would be jim-dandy, but copyright aside, selling it 
as Snickers ice cream is not.

As the draft is phrased, though, there is a lot of gray area related 
to what's considered a pre-made product. The AP reported that 
Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce chairman Dan Anglin has asked 
for more clarification this way: "Do I have to have chickens out back 
for the eggs?"

The final public hearing was held on Monday, August 31. Expect the 
final rules to be released soon.

Smoke 'em if ...

Last year, more college students smoked weed than cigarettes, 
according to an ongoing study by the University of Michigan titled 
"Monitoring the Future." But according to a Science20.com analysis of 
the findings, marijuana use in 2014 actually leveled off after a 
seven-year rise.

According to the report, 34 percent of college students reported 
consuming at least once in the last year, slightly lower than in 
2013. Twenty-one percent consumed at least once in the previous 
month, the highest since a 1986 figure of 23 percent. And 5.9 percent 
consumed almost daily - at least 20 times in the last month, by the 
study's definition - the highest since 1980, when 7.2 percent 
reported near-daily smoking.

Interestingly enough, marijuana use was higher across the board for 
college-aged non-students: 40 percent consumed in the last year, 26 
percent in the last month, and 11 percent daily.

All that said, cigarette use among college students has been dropping 
steadily after peaking around 1999, in all categories. In fact, 
according to this data, cigarette use among college students is lower 
than it has been since before 1980, when UM first started collecting data.

New social calendar

On Thursday, Sept. 3, the Campaign for Limited Social Cannabis Use 
withdrew its proposition for Denver's November ballot, according to a 
press release from the Marijuana Policy Project. The measure would 
have allowed certain commercial establishments to allow social 
cannabis use on-site - you could have considered it a cannabis-club 
bill, but just for the capital city.

Instead, campaign proponents will be working with Denver city 
lawmakers to see if they can hammer out a law together.

"This decision ensures we now have the time and ability to include 
interested stakeholders to reach consensus on this important issue," 
says Denver City Councilman Albus Brooks. "I am committed to working 
on a broadly acceptable solution."

Currently, cannabis social clubs, which have a strong presence in 
Colorado Springs, operate in a legal gray area.

Package deal

Good news for fans of Mountain High Suckers and Denver dispensary MMJ 
America: The Cannabist's David Migoya reports that their lozenges and 
flower tested clean for an unapproved pesticide, Spinosad. It turns 
out that Mountain High had been using older packaging, printed and 
purchased when a grower with whom it contracted had sprayed with 
then-approved Spinosad.

Fortunately, this story has a happy ending - none of the product was 
destroyed, and it will be returned to MMJ America's shelves with 
corrected packaging.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom