Marijuana-Related Deaths Spur Colorado to Reconsider Legalization Laws

Two recent deaths brought on by edible marijuana treats prompted Colorado to re-think its rules pertaining to these goodies, according to a CBS News report.

Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division met Wednesday with lawmakers and edible-pot producers to discuss how much THC - the active ingredient in marijuana - should be in a serving size.

Ten milligrams of THC is considered a single serving, but there are no rules saying edibles have to be packaged in solely single serving sizes.

These THC-laced treats raised concerns following two marijuana-related deaths in recent months.

Just last month a 19-year-old student jumped off a Denver hotel balcony after he reportedly consumed a marijuana cookie (but with the strength of six joints). In another case, a Denver man shot and killed his wife after eating cannabis-infused candy which caused him to hallucinate, though authorities suspect he may have been on other drugs as well.

Edible marijuana comes in many forms, but, like their aftereffects, the ingredients can be hazy.

Joseph Evans, of Steep Hill Halent, a cannabis testing laboratory, said, "Do you know if your marijuana is safe that you're buying? You really don't."

"I think that there's been a misconception that all of this stuff has been tested, and it hasn't," added Genifer Murray of CannLabs.

Edibles are packaged in opaque, childproof containers with a warning on the cover that it contains marijuana and that the product hasn't been tested for safety, according to The Associated Press.

Colorado State Rep. Jonathan Singer, one of the only state legislators to endorse legalizing recreational marijuana back in 2012, notes that edibles in particular can easily get out of hand.

"What a lot of people do is they'll take a bite of a brownie, and maybe that's a serving, and they won't feel anything, and so they'll take another bite and another bite, and all of the sudden you've got an overdose situation," he said, CBS reported.

A pot vending machine was just unveiled in Avon, Colo. just this month.