Aside from increased taxes, one of the most noticeable changes for medical cannabis patients in 2018 has been the new packaging and dosing restrictions for edibles. As of January 1st 2018, all licensed edibles companies can only produce items containing up to 100mg of THC with a maximum of 10mg per piece. Edibles’ packaging must clearly state the identity of the product, the net weight or volume of the contents of the package, the THC and CBD content for the entire package expressed in milligrams, the words “cannabis-infused” above the identity of the product, the THC and CBD content per serving expressed in milligrams and a symbol that looks like a triangle with a cannabis leaf and an exclamation point inside with CA underneath the triangle. The package must also include the licensed manufacturer and a way to contact them, the date the product was manufactured, a government warning about cannabis, the words “For Medicinal Use Only” if the product is specifically for medical patients, a list of all the ingredients and any major food allergens, any artificial dyes or colorings used and the product expiration/use by/best by date if it has one. Basically, edibles packaging is going to start looking a LOT more like the packaging of food we see at the grocery store giving a full run down of everything in it and the amount per serving in grams of sodium, sugar, carbohydrates and total fat. You may have already noticed some of these changes in your favorite edible brands like Kiva Confections and Korova, but there are still many companies working to comply with these requirements before July 1st 2018. Currently there is a “grace period” for companies to comply with these new restrictions as they wait for their licenses, so you may see some of your favorite high dose edibles still being sold in dispensaries for a few more months. This is because most dispensaries stocked up on products from companies that knew they were going to have to stop production come January 1st—so we definitely recommend grabbing them while they last, because once they’re gone…they’re gone!
Kiva hits the ground running in 2018
It came as no surprise that Kiva Confections was ready to go with their new compliant line of edibles as soon as January 1st rolled around. As a leader in the industry, Kiva was well-prepared for the changes and knew that being one of the first companies with compliant edible products would be a great advantage for them going into 2018. Prior to 2018, Kiva Confections offered chocolate bars in 180mg and 60mg of THC in a variety of flavors broken down into 4 squares containing 45mg or 15mg of THC respectively. There was a score mark that diagonally broke up each square if you wanted to take less than the total amount. Today, Kiva offers all the same flavors you’ve always loved in 100mg bars broken into 20 smaller squares that contain 5mg of THC each. Kiva’s CBD chocolate bars received a compliance makeover as well—the CBD Espresso Dark Chocolate and CBD Ginger Dark Chocolate Bars now both contain 100mg of CBD and 100mg of THC, broken into 20 squares. Each square contains 5mg of CBD and 5mg of THC. Kiva’s Petra Mints and Terra Bites were significantly easier to make compliant than the chocolate bars since the individual doses were already within the 10mg of THC limit at 2.5mg of THC per Petra Mint and 5mg of THC per Terra Bite. Now instead of receiving 42 Petra Mints in a container you’re getting 40 and 20 Terra Bites instead of 24—this brings each package’s total milligram dosage right to the 100mg limit. While these changes in dosage limits are problematic for patients who need more milligrams to combat pain or to help them sleep, the upside is that it’s encouraging people to consider microdosing since the products are now being made with smaller pieces with fewer milligrams in them. During a time when so many new cannabis users are entering the market, it’s good to see edibles being clearly labeled and divided into portions that inherently discourage consuming too much.
Korova doesn’t back down from a challenge
Unlike Kiva Confections, Korova had to change every single one of their products to comply with the new dosage and packaging restrictions in 2018. Prior to 2018, Korova boasted a line of high dose edibles all marketed with the catchphrase “Unrivaled Potency”. Patients throughout California knew that if you wanted the most milligrams for your buck, Korova was your best bet. Their lowest dose product contained 150mg of THC, 50mg over the 100mg limit. Their highest dose? The Korova Black Bar packed with a whopping 1,000mg of THC! They also offered a 500mg combination brownie cookie bar called the Fifty One Fifty and several other cookies at 250mg. For individuals struggling with severe pain, detoxing or insomnia these delectable high potency edibles were always a great choice. When Korova learned about the new restrictions, they quickly realized that they were going to have to rework their entire product line—a daunting task that would have set back many, but not Korova. The first product that they rolled out in 2018? Mini cookies! They come in 100mg bags and each cookie contains 10mg of THC, which is great because it means that you can eat the whole cookie or even break it in half to take 5mg of THC instead. And if you loved the Black Bar, the Mint Black Bar, the Fifty One Fifty Bar, the Reverse Dip, the Peanut Butter Dip, the Chocolate Dip or the Chocolate Chip cookie you’re in luck—Korova now offers all of these original Korova favorites at 100mg. This was a smart decision on Korova’s part, because it allows them to comply with the new laws while still providing their fans with the same great tasting Korova products they’ve come to love. (At least now if you find yourself wanting a little more of that Black Bar or Fifty One Fifty because they’re just SO tasty you don’t have to worry about taking more milligrams than you’re comfortable with!) Korova refused to let dosage restrictions and the formidable task of changing their entire product line keep them from providing medical patients and recreational consumers alike with delicious, consistently potent edibles—proving that their new slogan “Unrivaled” is certainly well-earned.
As we get closer to July 1st, 2018, you’re going to start to see more and more edibles companies altering their products to comply with the dosage and packaging restrictions outlined in MAUCRSA. The 100mg limit is going to take some getting used to (especially if you’ve been purchasing high dose edibles like the 1,000mg Korova Black Bar), but the 10mg per dose limit is likely going to help reduce instances of individuals taking too much of an edible and instead encourage new users to microdose so that they don’t experience negative side effects like anxiety, nausea or dizziness. If you are a medical cannabis patient who requires higher doses of THC, you can always ask your budtender if they have any medical-only edibles still available. Definitely stock up if you’re able, because come July 1st it’s likely that you won’t be able to find edible products containing over 100mg of THC in licensed dispensaries. Need to find a dispensary in your area that’s Hopegrown approved? Use the search bar at the top of the page!