Regulators are gearing up for a long debate about the size, shape, and other specifications of edibles.

In May, Maryland legalized edible forms of medical marijuana. But don’t expect such products to be available in Maryland anytime soon. Regulators are gearing up for a long debate about exactly what shape these products can take, what they can look like, what packaging they can use, and how they can be marketed.

The new law “was careful not to classify such treats as ‘food’ for a reason,” explains Doug Donovan at The Baltimore Sun. “Doing so would have required redundant oversight from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission and the Department of Health’s food safety division. Instead, as in 30 other states, edible cannabis products are now a class of their own.”

Maryland authorities say they want to make sure edibles are used for medicinal purposes only, rather than recreationally. 

Medical marijuana was made available for legal distribution in Maryland in 2017. In February the Maryland General Assembly created a work group with the purpose of studying the potential of legalizing marijuana for recreational uses.

The Baltimore Sun reports that, “The bipartisan group will make recommendations at the end of December that could be used to develop bills for the 2020 legislative session.” [Read More @ Reason]