(Anita Srivastava/ The Conversation) — In October 2019, Health Canada approved the sale of cannabis edibles, topicals and extracts for early 2020. Let us hope that one of Health Canada’s New Year’s resolutions is to do a better job of regulating cannabis and protecting the public, and in particular youth, from harm.
Cannabis edibles offer a lucrative opportunity for licensed cannabis producers and retailers in both the medical and recreational market. However, while governments and businesses move to meet public demand and their bottom lines, there is a need to acknowledge the inherent risks cannabis, and in particular edibles, can pose.
While edibles may provide a delivery system that provides the intoxicating effects of cannabis while avoiding the risks of smoking, the delayed and variable absorption of cannabis edibles can result in over-consumption and unpredictable results. (…)