Nevada To Start Selling Recreational Marijuana -- But There’s A Catch

On Saturday, July 1, pot heads everywhere (as long as they're over 21) can flock to Nevada to buy up to an ounce of marijuana, or one-eighth of an ounce of marijuana-infused edibles.

But according to new last-minute buzz-killing regulations, some dispensaries will have to dispose of certain edible products before the weekend begins.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval recently endorsed a statement of emergency that will enable the Nevada Department of Taxation to strictly regulate marijuana edibles starting July 1.

"The Governor wants to see the state realize the revenues from its sales, and most importantly, wants a regulatory structure that is restricted, responsible and respected," said Mari St. Martin, spokeswoman for the governor's office.

What Is An Edible?

An edible is any food product that has been infused with marijuana.

Popular edibles include brownies, marijuana-infused cooking oil, and marijuana-infused butter.

While eating pot may seem harmless, edibles are known for their high overdose potential. Because it takes so long to work (one to three hours) users often consume edibles in copious amounts.

The negative effects of marijuana edibles include, hallucinations, panic attacks, paranoia, psychotic episodes, and impaired motor ability.

The Regulations

The new regulations, approved on Monday, prohibit marijuana dispensaries from selling any products that:

• Contain more than 10 milligrams of THC per dose (or more than 100 milligrams per package)
• Look as if they're marketed to children, i.e. lollipops and ice cream
• Resemble fictional/real characters or cartoons
• Apply THC to snack foods or candy, i.e. granola, dried fruit, or nuts
• Have images of action figures, cartoon characters, balloons, toys, or mascots on the labeling

Any existing packaging that has these images will be covered by a label or sticker.

"From day one, we want to make sure that potency, packaging and labeling are strict from the start," said Stephanie Klapstein, spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Taxation.

In addition, all packaging muse have a list of all ingredients and a bold label stating, "THIS IS A MARIJUANA PRODUCT" -- "Keep out of reach of children."

While these emergency restrictions are a costly inconvenience for dispensaries, they're aimed at keeping the drug far away from juvenile hands.