| North Shore cookies from Colorado. |
Last month, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd shared a bad experience with a marijuana edible during a visit to Colorado, joking (maybe) that such items be stamped with a “stoned skull and bones.”
The Dowd piece, coupled with other negative news stories linked to edibles use, is among the inspiration for First Time 5, an edibles-education campaign being launched at an event tomorrow. Steve Fox, executive director of the Council for Responsible Cannabis Regulation, offers the Denver Westword a preview.
“We sometimes hear from friends or friends of friends who are trying edibles for the first time and end up having a bit more than they find enjoyable,” says Fox. “It’s really just a lack of knowledge — people coming to Colorado who may have smoked a joint or two back in college who think, ‘If I eat just a little, it’ll be fine — and it’s the same thing as smoking without the smoke.’ But they don’t realize it’s almost a different drug.
“There’s a big difference between inhaling and ingesting marijuana,” he continues. “So there’s the possibility that they might consume a bit too much — and given the longer lasting effects of edibles, it might be unpleasant. Whereas, if they knew the more appropriate amount, it would probably be a more enjoyable experience.”
Hence the First Time 5 concept, which encourages people who’ve never tried edibles before to start out by consuming an amount containing no more than 5 milligrams of THC — half the 10 milligram state standard for a single serving.
Why suggest 5 milligrams for first-timers as opposed to 10? Find out over at Westword.
