Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use and is one of the biggest markets for cannabis products such as edibles.

Let’s look at the state of the cannabis market in Colorado and discuss what edible producers need to keep in mind when producing edible cannabis products.

Recreational Cannabis Products Have Been Legal in Colorado Since 2012

Colorado first legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012, when Amendment 64 passed. This amendment to the state’s constitution legalized the possession and use of marijuana by people over 21.

It was also one of the first states to legalize medical marijuana, which was approved in 2000 by Amendment 20 to the state’s constitution. Given its long history of medical and recreational marijuana use, Colorado has one of the largest markets for cannabis products in the United States.

More People Than Ever Are Picking Edibles as Their Medicine of Choice

Legalizing recreational marijuana in Colorado has led to many different products becoming widely available, including cannabis vaporizers, oils, and concentrates.

Edibles are a prevalent method of taking marijuana for both recreational and medical purposes. The compounds in edibles digest differently than smoked cannabis, which can lead to longer lasting and more intense effects.

In addition to this, edibles do not require the inhalation of cannabis vapor or smoke, which can be a lung irritant and may even be carcinogenic, like tobacco products.

Another benefit of edibles is that they do not leave behind any unpleasant smells and can be consumed even in apartments or homes where smoking indoors is not allowed. For all these reasons, edible sales have grown dramatically in Colorado and other states with medical and recreational marijuana laws over the last several years.

Edible Producers Need to Meet Food Safety Regulations During Production

Edible marijuana products are a type of food. While their primary function is not to provide nutrition but rather to deliver cannabis for recreational or medical purposes, they still must meet health and safety requirements during production, just like any other type of food.

When producing edibles like brownies, cookies, cakes, gummies, hard candies, and any other product intended for human consumption, edible producers should follow food safety best practices and any applicable local or state regulations. Requirements like contamination control, product quality testing and analysis, proper sanitation, and more are important to preventing product recalls and creating a product that is safe to eat.

By undergoing proper food safety training in Colorado, cannabis edible producers can ensure product safety, protect themselves from liability, pass state and local inspections, and continue operating safely for years to come.

Need Food Safety Training in Colorado? ImEPIK is Here to Help!

At ImEPIK, we specialize in food safety training, and we offer interactive training specific to cannabis-infused edibles on our proprietary learning platform. The Cannabis Edibles Safety Course© uses well-known best practices for food safety, ensuring you and your team know how to protect yourselves and your customers while producing edible cannabis products.

To learn more about what we do, chat with us online or call at (866) 318-9855 and enroll in the training needed to protect yourself and your business in Colorado.