In the past, most marijuana users smoked the drug. People used various devices, including bongs or water pipes, but these were all simply different delivery methods for marijuana smoke. While people would sometimes make baked goods with THC oil extracted from marijuana, such as the ever popular “pot brownies,” edible marijuana was not exactly a culinary art.
According to a recent article from the Franchise Herald, marijuana ice cream is becoming “a big hit” in California. A collective known as the Cannabis Creamery in Sausalito, California is making high quality ice cream infused with THC and selling it to patients at their storefront operation and shipping it to dispensaries in California, so other patients who do not live near the creamery can have access to the medicine.
The collective owner says they are striving to create a quality ice cream that allows people to have the benefits of medical cannabis while enjoying a sweet product. Currently the ice cream they make has an estimated THC quantity of 60 milligrams per pre-packaged four-ounce cup. The company says it plans to create ice cream with a higher THC potency at some point in the future. The manager also says the non-profit collective uses only organic ingredients and always stays away from all genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The ice cream presently comes in several flavors, including mint chip, coffee, and citrus, which are said to be the collective’s most popular items. In total, they report selling between 4,000 and 5,000 cups of marijuana ice cream each week on average, depending on the weather and the time of year. While many people are likely eating the ice cream for recreational purposes, according to the man who created the product, he knows it is very helpful for people on chemotherapy, because it is easy to swallow and provides very fast relief from pain and nausea.
As our Orange County medical cannabis attorneys can explain, many people get the idea to start baking medical cannabis products for sale to dispensaries. While this may be legal in terms of marijuana legislation, it is important to understand that when selling any food item, it must also be made in strict accordance with department of health regulations and can lead to lead a lot of fines and trouble if the regulations are ignored. For this reason, it is important to speak with an experienced cannabis industry attorney, so you can learn about all of the regulations that may affect your new business venture.
One of the biggest issues people have is the decision to manufacture food items for sale in their home kitchen. While this is not necessarily a problem, it does mean that your home kitchen is subject to inspection by the department of health, and you must follow all commercial food safety protocols. If you do not want to label everything in your refrigerator with color coded day dots, you should consider renting a commercial space for preparing any food intended for sale.
The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.
Additional Resources:
Marijuana Ice Cream Is A Hit Among Some Locals In California, Pun Intended,June24, 2015, Franchise Herald
More Blog Entries:
Lawsuits Seek to Open Doors to Costa Mesa Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, March 23, 2015, California Marijuana Lawyer Blog