YOUR AD HERE »

Colorado cannabis safety regs limit edible shapes, enlarge potency labels

State's new rules to avoid candy confusion go into effect Oct. 1

Alicia Wallace
The Cannabist
Colorado’s new rules prohibit edible pot products from being made in animal or fruit shapes.
Anya Semenoff/Denver Post file photo

Out with the gummy bears, in with the squares … and circles, and triangles and diamonds.

On Oct. 1, Colorado no longer will allow marijuana edibles shaped like humans, animals, fruits or cartoons — forms that could be confused with candy — and the state also will require more prominently displayed potency information on the labels of cannabis products.

The new rules, which are more than a year in the making, are part of the ongoing evolution of Colorado’s pioneering foray into legalizing and regulating the sale of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes.

“We’ve seen areas where it’s important for us to focus,” said Michael Hartman, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, which regulates the state’s marijuana industry.

The tenets of ensuring public health and public safety include keeping marijuana out of the hands of children, minors and illegal operations, and providing safeguards against the potential harms to consumers.

For more on this story, go to The Cannabist.