Tag: marijuana edibles

Cancer Patient Receives Jail Time Over 42 Pounds Of Pot-Infused Chocolate

Postal workers because suspicious about packages being delivered to the man’s home and alerted police.

One day before the state legislature voted to approve recreational cannabis, an Illinois man was sentenced to four years in prison for ordering copious amounts of marijuana-infused chocolates back in 2014.

According to a statement by Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon, 37-year-old Thomas J. Franzen ordered 42 pounds of chocolate that contained THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. When authorities searched his home, they found other indications that Franzen was selling drugs.

“Inside his bedroom they found cocaine, more than 100 additional grams of marijuana, along with items that are known to be evidence of drug dealing,” the statement said. “These items include a digital scale, more than $2,000 in cash, ledgers used to track drug sales, materials used for drug packaging, and numerous postal receipts for parcels he had mailed to locations across the U.S. and Canada”

The investigation had started when postal workers because suspicious about packages being delivered to Franzen’s home. This led them to obtain a search warrant, and ultimately to get law enforcement involved.

“Evidence from state and federal investigators shows that he has purchased and sold marijuana products across North America,” the state’s statement said. “In addition to the evidence found in his home, we also have evidence that he had received multiple packages that raised the suspicion of postal inspectors prior to his receiving the package that led to his arrest.”

Despite the strong evidence, the prosecution was delayed because Franzen has testicular cancer.

“As he delayed this prosecution for more than 5 years asserting that his medical condition was preventing him from sitting through a trial and from serving a term in prison, we asked for but never received independent verification that this was true,” McMahon said in the statement. “In fact, Mr. Franzen’s own physician stated that Franzen’s medical condition would not prevent him from sitting through his trial.”

Franzen’s lawyer also suggested that the chocolate was for personal medical use, but the state rejected that argument.

“The marijuana-laced product found at Mr. Franzen’s home was not purchased from a medical marijuana business, and the amount he purchased far exceeds what would be used for personal consumption and is evidence that he is a drug dealer,” McMahon said.

Franzen ultimately pled guilty to unlawful possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, a class 1 felony, and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. He is eligible for Illinois’ day-for-day credit, which will cut his time in half.

“He got the best disposition that was available given the constraints of Illinois law,” Franzen’s lawyer, David Camic told CNN.

View the original article at thefix.com

12 June 2019
Edibles, Legal Pot ER Visits Increase In Colorado

Although edibles make up only 0.32% of legal cannabis sales in the state, they were blamed for 10.7% of emergency room visits.

Since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, cannabis-related emergency room visits have nearly tripled, and people who used edibles were more likely to end up in the hospital than people who smoked pot.

The findings were part of a study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Looking at data from one hospital in Colorado, researchers found that although edibles make up only 0.32% of legal cannabis sales in the state, they were blamed for 10.7% of emergency room visits.

People who took edibles were also more likely to report serious psychotic symptoms: 18% of people who went to the ER after eating edibles reported these symptoms, compared with just 10% of people who went to the ER after smoking.

Lead author Andrew Monte told Rolling Stone that people who took edibles were more likely to end up in the ER because any adverse effects they experienced were likely to last longer than adverse effects in people who smoked cannabis.

“My initial hypothesis was that people were stacking doses and getting too high of a dose,” he said. “But after analyzing these data, I actually think it is that adverse symptoms from edible consumption last longer than when people smoke. This leads to more opportunity to say, ‘I need to go to the ER.’”

The executive director of NORML, Erik Altieri, told Rolling Stone that since the research only looked at one hospital in one state, people shouldn’t draw universal conclusions from it. He said that overall, emergency room visits caused by marijuana are rare, and usually not very serious.

“While we support increased public education and enhanced labeling to inform consumers about how to responsibly consume edibles and in what doses, it is important to note that the overwhelming majority of ER cases related solely to marijuana result in the patient simply being hydrated and let go in an hour or two,” he said.

Still, with marijuana being legalized in more places and edibles being widely available, some people urge public caution until there is more research into the effects and potential dangers of edibles. In Canada, researchers believe that an elderly man experienced a heart attack after eating a lollipop laced with cannabis.

“The outcome of this case is important with new marijuana legalization—hopefully with marijuana use no longer criminalized, more research into the cardiovascular side effects will emerge,” researchers wrote in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

View the original article at thefix.com

29 March 2019
San Diego Considers Cannabis Cafes

Opponents of the idea cite drugged driving as a reason not to open the cafes.

Officials in San Diego are gathering information and debating whether the city should allow establishments where patrons could purchase and consume legal marijuana products.

“When we have a cool place like this where people can gather and participate in the legal market, that’s ultimately going to take people away from the illicit market and bring revenue back to the city,” Dallin Young, board member for the Association for Cannabis Professionals, told The San Diego Economic Development Committee last week, according to NBC News San Diego.

City Councilmembers asked the city’s independent budget analyst to research the benefits and drawbacks of cannabis cafes. However, some councilmembers are concerned that the cafes would draw more resources than they would bring in.

Scott Chipman, a representative of San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, said that the cafes would open the door for many problems. “There’s a big concern with drug-impaired driving,” he told the committee. “The economic benefit would be far outweighed by the cost.”

Chipman says that the data shows this to be true. According to federal data, states that have legalized cannabis have seen a 6% increase in traffic accidents, for example.

“They’re spending way more on pot enforcement, impaired driving, medical bills and other things than the economic revenue and taxes coming in,” Chipman said.

Despite that, some California towns and cities are approving cannabis cafes. Although the California legalization legislation prohibits public use, the cafes would be an exception.

West Hollywood issued approval for cannabis cafes that will begin operation this year, according to Eater.

“We’re totally stoked the city is excited about our concept, and can’t wait to bring it to life. West Hollywood’s nightlife has it all, save for one thing: the world’s best cannabis restaurant and lounge,” said Kirk Cartozian, who is a founder of The Antidote, which will be an edibles-only lounge. “Did we say we’re totally ecstatic about this?”

According to Leafly, there were only nine cannabis cafes operating in the nation in 2018. Many of those are in San Francisco, a city that has been an early adopter of the idea, according to Charles Pappas, a medical cannabis commissioner.

“San Francisco has the best regulations of anywhere,” he said.

Pappas said that concerns over drugged driving are misplaced in a society that has already accepted that adults can consume some mind-altering substances, namely alcohol, in public.

“If bars are safe why can’t lounges be safe? A lounge owner can say, ‘OK you’ve smoked enough, that’s it.’ Just like a bar,” he said.

View the original article at thefix.com

22 March 2019
Michigan Company Sells Books, Gifts Marijuana, In Legal Gray Area

Blaze Michigan’s book bundles come with a special “edible” gift.

While marijuana users in Michigan must wait for legal marijuana shops to open their doors, one store has found a clever workaround—gifting marijuana edibles to people who purchase book bundles.

Blaze Michigan sells bundles of books, which can be picked up in person or delivered. Consumers purchase the books, and if they are 21 or older they’ll receive a free gift. With bundle names like the Brownie Edible Book Bundle ($65), Full Vape Book Bundle ($90) and Mary Jane Flower Books ($80), it’s easy to guess what the free gift might be.

“You’re buying gifts, and then the gift is unknown. We try to hint at what the gift is going to be, by how we name our book bundles,” Blaze Michigan owner Stephanie Swearengin told WSBT 22.

The bundles are a big hit, Swearengin said. “Pretty much demand has been hard to keep up with for the most part.”

Michigan became the first midwestern state to legalize recreational cannabis in 2018, but until shops begin opening in 2020, there are no outlets to legally purchase marijuana.

Swearengin believes she has found a workaround, as she explained on Blaze Michigan’s website.

“We’ve talked to multiple lawyers about the issue and as far as we can tell it’s just a large gray area,” she said. “Just like medical dispensaries. I mean with the state and the federal law, it’s already a gray area. Even though medical marijuana has been legal, they can still get shut down by the feds. So if you ask me it’s all kind of gray.”

However, Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz was not convinced that Blaze Michigan’s business model is legal. “People engaging in this activity are definitely subjecting themselves to potential prosecution.”

Despite the semantics, the intent of businesses like Blaze Michigan is clear, Fitz said.

“Certainly when you’re gifting marijuana as part of the incentive of a transaction, that can very easily be interpreted that you are doing it for profit,” he said. “It’s wise for people to follow the law. Tread softly and be cautious. The step you make may end up in causing you to be in court resulting in a civil infraction, a misdemeanor, or even a felony conviction.”

In 2017, a Massachusetts store was shut down for charging an admission free and then distributing free marijuana gifts to consumers. Recreational marijuana had been legalized in the state, but shops that could legally sell pot were not yet open.

“He can no longer do business like he’s doing right now—taking a cover at the door, leaving with a gift of marijuana,” the local police chief said at the time. “It’s not legal in the state to do that. He’s not a licensed distributor of marijuana. That’s yet to come.”

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
Did A Cannabis Lollipop Trigger A Man's Heart Attack?

Researchers investigated whether a marijuana edible was responsible for giving an elderly man a heart attack.

Canadian researchers are calling for more research into the cardiovascular effects of cannabis after a 70-year-old man reportedly had a heart attack after consuming a lollipop containing a high level of THC.

According to a paper in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, the man had existing heart conditions. He took the cannabis edible hoping that it would help him sleep better and cope with the pain he experienced from arthritis. Instead, he started experiencing chest pains within half an hour and was found to be having a heart attack.

Researchers say that this shows the need for more research into the health effects of marijuana, which was recently legalized for recreational use in Canada.

“The outcome of this case is important with new marijuana legalization—hopefully with marijuana use no longer criminalized, more research into the cardiovascular side effects will emerge,” they wrote.

According to Live Science, the man said that he had occasionally smoked marijuana as a teen, but had not used edibles before. The lollipop he consumed contained 90 milligrams of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, which is about 12 times the amount found in a typical joint.

Although the man had had heart attacks in the past, he hadn’t experienced one in two years, and was on medication for his heart conditions. Researchers said that consuming the edible put a “sudden and unexpected strain” on the man’s heart, causing him to have a heart attack.

In addition to chest pain, the man experienced “fearful hallucinations” and anxiety, which can increase heart rate and strain the cardiovascular system even more, researchers wrote.

Dr. Alexandra Saunders, the lead author of the study, said in a press release that people need to be aware that marijuana can have dangerous side effects, even when it is used in a medical setting.

“Marijuana can be a useful tool for many patients, especially for pain and nausea relief. At the same time, like all other medications, it does carry risk and side effects. In a recent case, inappropriate dosing and oral consumption of marijuana by an older patient with stable cardiovascular disease resulted in distress that caused a cardiac event and subsequent reduced cardiac function,” Saunders said.

Dr. Robert S. Stevenson said that the paper shows that doctors need to discuss the risk of cannabis use with their patients.

“Most previous research on marijuana-induced myocardial ischemia focused mostly on younger patients and did not focus on its different formulations and potencies. As a result of widespread marijuana legalization, healthcare providers need to understand and manage cannabis use and its complications in older patients, particularly in those with cardiovascular disease,” he said.

View the original article at thefix.com

13 February 2019
NYC Cracks Down On CBD Edibles

Some NYC restaurants that sell CBD-infused foods are having their products “embargoed” by the state’s Department of Health.

Despite the fact that New York State is moving forward with plans to legalize cannabis, officials in New York City are cracking down on restaurants selling food products laced with cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD.

C.J. Holm, the owner of Fat Cat Kitchen in the East Village, recently told The New York Times that health department officials showed up at the restaurant asking questions about products that contained CBD. Fat Cat Kitchen sold brownies, cookies and honey infused with CBD, a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis which many people believe has health benefits.

The inspectors put the CBD-infused food, worth about $1,000, in a bag labeled “Embargoed,” according to Eater. They left the product with Holm, but couldn’t explain to her why she was not able to sell it.

“They couldn’t even intelligently explain to me exactly what the problem was when I spoke to them on the phone,” Holm said.

Similar events took place at at least five restaurants around the city.

CBD falls into murky legal territory. Although it is legal to buy and sell, it isn’t an approved food additive, the Department of Health said.

“Restaurants in New York City are not permitted to add anything to food or drink that is not approved as safe to eat,” a New York City Department of Health spokesperson told The Atlantic. “Until cannabidiol… is deemed safe as a food additive, the department is ordering restaurants not to offer products containing CBD.”

Holm said that inspectors from the Department of Health have been to Fat Cat Kitchen twice before and never paid much attention to the CBD-infused product, which Holm began selling two months ago. She said that a ban on selling CBD edibles could have a big impact on her business’s bottom line.

“My CBD stuff is absolutely the No. 1-selling revenue source in the store.”

Holm was frustrated by the lack of transparency about the policy.

“It just seemed so random and arbitrary to me. And it was really difficult getting answers as to what the exact issue is,” she said. “Now, just out of the blue, they’re just going to randomly embargo restaurants’ products? I just don’t feel like it was done properly.”

The controversy over CBD edibles is gaining attention in other cities around the country, with Departments of Health arguing that food and drinks containing CBD need to be labeled and regulated.

“The packaging and labeling requirements aren’t there yet in states that don’t have a cannabis regime,” said California lawyer Griffen Thorne. “If you go buy a CBD beverage and it’s not specially packaged—it just looks like another coffee or whatever—someone might take a sip who doesn’t intend to.”

View the original article at thefix.com

12 February 2019
Doctor Loses License After Prescribing Pot Cookies To 4-Year-Old

The case was brought to light when the boy’s father asked a school nurse to give his son a marijuana edible.

A California doctor lost his medical license after recommending cannabis cookies for a four-year-old boy who the doctor diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder after a half-hour meeting.

However, the doctor continues to practice while awaiting an appeal.

William Eidelman, a natural medicine physician, met with the boy and his father in 2012, according to The Los Angeles Times. Eidelman, who estimates he had recommended more than 10,000 people for the medical marijuana program, had previously recommended that the father use cannabis to treat his son’s bipolar and ADHD.

The father brought his son in when the child was having trouble behaving at school. After a brief meeting, Eidelman made a similar diagnosis and recommendation for the preschooler.

In the decision to repeal Eidelman’s medical license, the California Medical Board said that his actions were “grossly negligent.”

“Tantrums alone… do not support either diagnosis,” the board members wrote in a decision. “‘Being agitated’ and ‘having trouble sitting still’ hint at ADHD, but could simply hint at a preschooler not happy to have driven many miles to a doctor’s appointment.”

The case came to light when the boy’s father asked a school nurse to give his son a marijuana edible. The nurse alerted child protective services, which ultimately led to an investigation into the doctor. The board found that he had acted irresponsibly.

“Although he did not outright suggest a diagnosis… he all but made one up out of whole cloth,” the board wrote. “Labeling a child with a significant mental condition can be harmful… if those labels are incorrect, pernicious results may follow.”

If the diagnoses were properly made, the recommendation of cannabis would have been acceptable, the board wrote, but because Eidelman did not consult with a psychiatrist the diagnosis was improper.

“It has not been established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the recommendation of medical marijuana to [the boy], with his father’s consent, violated the standard of care,” the board wrote.

The board suspended Eidelman’s license in early January, but he is appealing that ruling, and says that he is practicing medicine currently while he waits for the March court date for the appeal.

“The judge ruled that the revocation is stayed, so yes, I’m still practicing,” he said.

However, the board insists that Eidelman should not be practicing, according to spokeswoman Susan Wolbarst.

“The Medical Board of California has not received a court order, signed by a judge, indicating that the revocation was stayed. Accordingly, Eidelman’s license is currently revoked,” she said.

View the original article at thefix.com

1 February 2019
Ban On Select Edibles Alarms Washington State Cannabis Retailers

Retailers and makers will be allowed to sell banned products until the inventory is exhausted or until April 2019.

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board took many marijuana businesses aback on October 3 when they announced that cannabis-infused products that may have appeal to children – gummy candies, lollipops and/or brightly colored products – will be prohibited from sale.

Makers and retailers alike expressed concern that they were not given adequate warning about what the board is calling a “re-evaluation” of such products; though edibles make up a relatively small portion of marijuana products sold in Washington state (9%), they are a significant revenue stream for many independent companies.

The Board will hold a webinar on October 16 to address concerns about the impending re-evaluation, and companies whose products fall under the ban will have a chance to appeal.

The Board made its announcement via an online presentation, which ascribed its decision as an attempt to address concerns from board members as well as “stakeholders and the public” in regard to infused edible candy.

A re-evaluation of such products, which were previously approved by the Board, led to the new ruling, which stated that “all production of hard candy (of any style, shape or size), tarts, fruit chews, colorful chocolates, jellies and any gummy type products should cease, as they will not qualify” under the new guidelines. The rule will take effect January 1, 2019.

Drinks, baked goods, chips and tinctures do not fall under the ban, as well as certain types of candies, such as chocolate, caramels or mints, provided that they are not presented in a manner that is “especially appealing to children,” such as certain colors, flavors, shapes or additions such as sprinkles or frosting.

Retailers and makers will be allowed to sell banned products until the inventory is exhausted or until April 3, 2019, after which they must be disposed of according to marijuana waste requirements.

Retailers and manufacturers will have to resubmit labels and products for their items to the Board prior to the January 1 activation date; if their products do not meet the new requirements, they will be informed that board approval is being rescinded. The notification will also include information on how to appeal the decision.

Response from retailers and manufacturers was immediate and deeply concerned. While many support the idea of ensuring that products do not appeal to kids, they were also worried about the impact of the ban on their business. “If we lose the ability to make these candies, we’ll be out of business,” said Craft Elixirs owner Jamie Hoffman.

Diana Isaiou, owner of American Baked Co., said that more than half of her company’s sales are edible fruit chews, which require the purchase of large and expensive amounts of ingredients and packaging prior to manufacture. “We don’t get business loans in the marijuana industry,” she said. “These are people’s personal bank rolls.”

Others expressed dismay at what they considered an arbitrary ban. “I’m concerned that whole categories of products are being tossed out categorically,” said Logan Bowers, owner of Hashtag Cannabis. “I don’t see how a chew is inherently more enticing to a child than a cookie.”

The Liquor and Cannabis Board will offer a link to register for the October 16 webinar on the site.

View the original article at thefix.com

11 October 2018