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THC edible changes incoming with new law
With sales in dispensaries still more than a year away, THC edibles and gummies remain available to Minnesotans without many rules or accountability, but change is on the way.
(FOX 9) - When Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed legislation to legalize marijuana in Minnesota on Tuesday, he also established new regulations for the existing low dose hemp-derived THC edibles market.
Marijuana products will not be legally sold in Minnesota for at least the next 12-16 months as the state sets up the new industry. The only products adults can legally purchase in the meantime are the low dose THC edibles.
Earlier this month, the FOX 9 Investigators exposed how the existing THC edibles marketplace has operated without any real rules or accountability over the last year.
The FOX 9 Investigators commissioned a blind test and analysis of five random THC edible products sold throughout the Twin Cities Metro. Each edible was only legally supposed to contain up to 5mg of THC per piece, yet the analysis revealed many products are not what they claim to be.
Three of the samples tested did not contain the advertised amount of THC, with one sample measuring six times what’s legally supposed to be allowed, with 32 mg of THC per piece.
The new law aims to fix the regulatory holes and implement accountability within the low dose THC market.
"It really has been the Wild West as far as the low dose edibles have gone," said Sen. Lindsey Port, who sponsored the cannabis legalization legislation.
New rules for low dose THC edibles
Under the new law, any business selling low dose THC edibles will be required to register with the State of Minnesota. Businesses will later be required to obtain licensure to sell the low dose edibles.
"We just want to make sure that everything that’s on the shelf for consumers here in Minnesota is tested, is safe, is what it says it is on the label," Sen. Port said.
The low-dose edibles market will initially be subject to temporary rules, including testing requirements that take effect Aug. 1. The temporary rules also require accurate labeling of products and a ban on marketing toward children.
"It is really critical that it says on the packaging that it is not for children, to be kept away from children, that it is in tamper-resistant child-resistant packaging," Sen. Port said.
There will also be new penalties for breaking the law, including hefty fines and even prison time in certain cases.
"If you’re a liquor store who brings [low dose edibles] in without registering, without a license, you can lose your license to sell alcohol," Sen. Port said.