New Colorado Law Restricts Concentrate Sales
Medical cannabis dispensaries in Colorado will soon be required to limit patients on the number of concentrate products they can buy, following the passing of a new state bill.
Coming into effect on January 1, 2022, the bill will limit patients aged 21 and over to 8 grams of concentrates per purchase (down from the previous limit of 40 grams). Younger patients aged between 18 and 20 will have their purchases capped at 2 grams, except in cases where the patient is homebound or if their certification states that they need more than 2 grams.
The bill, which was signed by state governor Jared Polis on Thursday, June 24, also requires the Colorado school of public health to carry out a “review of the scientific research related to the possible physical and mental health effects of high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates.”
A new scientific council will then review this report and make any recommendations to the state’s general assembly. A public education campaign is also planned to better communicate the effects of high-potency THC on the developing brain and mental health of children and adolescents.
Indeed, the cap on concentrates was partly introduced to limit the availability of high-strength cannabis to teens.
Speaking to the Denver Channel ahead of the bill’s signing this May, Colorado’s attorney general Phil Weiser said that “this legislation […] addresses that fact that our medical marijuana laws have enabled teen access to high potency marijuana.”
To ensure all purchases of concentrates will be limited, state dispensaries are required by the bill to immediately record such transactions in the state’s seed-to-sale inventory tracking system. Concentrate producers will also be required to include warning labels on the products' packaging, such as 420 packaging, regarding the risks of overconsumption.
