‘Be careful’ with homemade edibles
Warning issued ahead of 4/20
If you’re looking to make some pot brownies at home to celebrate 4/20 this weekend, state cannabis officials want you “to be careful.”
Ahead of the high holiday today, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission sent out a reminder to those making edibles.
“If you are planning to make edibles at home in honor of 4/20 this week, make sure you understand the challenges involved with controlling potency and dosage,” the CCC posted.
Under the Bay State’s marijuana law, people 21plus can make cannabis products at home.
“If you’re thinking about infusing your own edibles, you want to be careful,” says a CCC video about home manufacturing edibles.
“When making edibles at home, it can be difficult to distribute cannabis concentrate evenly, making it hard to control an edible’s potency and dosage — and difficult to predict how someone will be impacted by it,” the educational video adds.
The CCC was also telling residents ahead of 4/20 to make sure they keep pot in a closed, locked container, out of reach and out of sight from kids and pets.
“If someone in your home accidentally ingests marijuana, call the numbers below: Poison Control Hotline: 800-2221222; Pet Poison Hotline: 855-764-7661; Serious Reaction? Call 911,” the CCC posted.
Today marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, as large crowds gather in parks and on college campuses to smoke together.
There will likely be an increase in marijuana use today, according to New Hampshire officials as they remind residents and visitors that impaired driving is illegal, dangerous and potentially deadly.
“As always, we are urging drivers to ensure they are not impaired when getting behind the wheel,” said New Hampshire Department of Safety Assistant Commissioner Eddie Edwards. “Your decisions don’t just affect you. They affect everyone else on the road, too.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, marijuana can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.
Drivers who are caught operating a vehicle while under the influence of marijuana will be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), per New Hampshire law.
In 2022, there were 146 people killed in crashes on New Hampshire roads. Of those crashes, 73% percent were alcohol and/or drug-related.
From 2016 to 2022, 854 people died in crashes in New Hampshire. Of those 854 people, 515 (60%) were victims of an alcohol and/or drug-related crash.
On 4/20, some celebrations are bigger than others. The Mile High 420 Festival in Denver typically draws thousands and describes itself as the largest free 4/20 event in the world. College quads and statehouse lawns are also known for drawing 4/20 celebrations.
The number of states allowing recreational marijuana has grown to 24 after recent legalization campaigns succeeded in Ohio, Minnesota and Delaware. Fourteen more states allow it for medical purposes.
But marijuana is still illegal under federal law. It is listed with drugs such as heroin under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has no federally accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.