USA : Colorado health officials want to ban marijuana-laced brownies and candy

Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment has recommended that retail marijuana "edibles" should be restricted to "lozenges and tinctures," according to a statement from the department's director, Larry Wolk.

Recreational marijuana has been legal in Colorado since 2012. However, there's growing concern that people, especially children, can mistakenly buy marijuana treats that look very similar to any other kinds of candy, such as gummy bears.
The concerns aren't unwarranted -- the number of children admitted this year to Colorado's largest pediatric emergency department after accidentally eating marijuana is on pace to more than double last year's total, according to a report earlier this year in the Denver Post.

If instituted, the ban would take most edible marijuana products off the shelves, which could be a significant blow to the state's nascent recreational marijuana industry.

However, it's not clear if the ban would be adopted by the state. The health department's recommendation is one of several that will be debated by state officials and marijuana industry representatives who are on the task force.

Long lines to buy marijuana in Colorado / Jan 2014

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