Marijuana cookies to hit Washington outlets but cannabis lollies are banned

Cookies and brownies laced with marijuana can go on sale in shops across Washington state after new rules were passed. Photograph: Erich Schlegel/Corbis

Marijuana stores in Washington state can sell marijuana in cookies, brownies and other baked goods but not in candies, lollipops or food items that might appeal to children, newly released rules stipulate.

Washington became the second US state to allow recreational sales of marijuana to adults on 8 July, when its first retail stores opened under a heavily regulated and taxed system approved by voters in 2012.

The state’s Liquor Control Board, which regulates the fledgling sector, published guidelines this week for the packaging and labelling of marijuana edibles. They prohibit any products, labels or packaging designed to be appealing to children, including lollipops and suckers, gummy candy and jelly beans. Edibles must be tested for potency and to ensure that the marijuana derivatives are spread evenly throughout the product.

Washington’s move to allow recreational sales comes amid a broader trend of liberalisation in the US. Recreational sales began in Colorado on 1 January.

So far, Washington state regulators have issued 25 licences to retailers and are still processing more than 300 others.

That has led to concerns about shortages. The first and only recreational marijuana shop to open in Seattle ran out of stock only three days after opening. Last week a Seattle-based company that makes marijuana-infused drinks and candies became the first business in the state to be approved, but it was not clear when the first products will hit shelves.

In Colorado, authorities ordered a recall of products made by the Denver-based company, At Home Baked, which was using a regular clothes washing machine to generate the cold water and centrifugal force needed to make “bubble hash”, a marijuana concentrate.

The Public Health Inspections division of the Denver Department of Public Health said it ordered the business to stop using the washing machine because it did not meet minimum sanitation standards.

Among the products recalled on Thursday were marijuana-infused brownies, candies and rice-crispy treats.

Marijuana cookies to hit Washington outlets but cannabis lollies are banned