When California voters passed Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize the adult recreational use of marijuana, they were told cannabis would have strict labeling and would not be packaged or marketed in ways that would appeal to children. But the market is now flooded with pot products that are designed to look like candies and snacks popular with kids and in flavors that are enticing to young people.
Public health experts say that these colorfully packaged products, which are legal to sell to adults 21 and older, are an attempt to market marijuana to kids. There is a growing number of incidents of kids landing in the hospital after accidentally or knowingly ingesting cannabis products. Marijuana edibles are particularly dangerous for kids because they can take a couple of hours to take effect, so kids may eat more than would be safe for an adult, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) has introduced a bill that would bar cannabis producers from creating, marketing or selling products that resemble candy, soda and snacks that are attractive to kids. Assembly Bill 1207 would help restore the promise of Proposition 64 and help safeguard kids’ health.
