Florida medical marijuana operators get go-ahead to sell THC-infused cookies, cakes and candies

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Animal crackers and gummy bears are off the table, but Florida medical marijuana operators finally will be allowed to manufacture and sell THC-infused cookies, cakes and candies, after state health officials Wednesday released a rule outlining edible marijuana products.

The emergency rule requires edible products to be in geometric shapes, bans “icing, sprinkles, or other toppings of any kind,” and stated they cannot “bear a reasonable resemblance to commercially available candy.”

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The highly anticipated rule comes more than three years after state legislators passed a law implementing a 2016 constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of Floridians. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried’s office has already authorized four of the state’s medical-marijuana operators to start manufacturing edible products. Fried said edibles provide patients another option to access medical marijuana.

“Every single patient is different — as far as how their body reacts to this medicine,” Fried said. “Some patients can’t swallow pills. Some may have lung cancer and can’t use flower. So this is another alternative to so many patients who may need their medicine but need it in alternative forms.”

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The new regulation includes a prohibition against products that “contain any color additives, whether natural or artificial,” and also restricts products that “are a primary or bright color.” Medical marijuana businesses estimate edibles could take up 20% of the overall market share. It’s unclear how soon edible products will be on the shelves, however, because health officials have to sign off on the cookies, brownies and candies before operators can sell them.

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