An editorial in the Wall Street Journal rightly points out that amid the current pandemic, America has been suffering for years from another deadly scourge—drug addiction. While there has been some progress reducing overdose deaths and limiting prescriptions for addictive prescription painkillers, much of the progress might be reversed by the pandemic—in fact, overdose fatalities have already spiked in 2019 and are expected to be even higher this year. It also warns of troubling, related trends such as increased pot sales during the lockdown, and its potential impact on young people and workplace safety, noting that those who favor legalization should be more honest about the cost of drug use.
Meanwhile, a new study finds that Black, Hispanic and lower income neighborhoods in California have a higher proportion of unlicensed marijuana stores. It doesn’t say why or how unlicensed shops are allowed to operate under the state’s supposedly strict marijuana laws, but the report does conclude that as a result, “minority populations are disproportionately exposed to unlicensed retailers, potentially exacerbating health disparities by selling unregulated products or selling to minors.”
And finally, marijuana edibles will soon go on the market in Florida—and the state is laying down some rules. Baked goods, chocolates and lozenges are allowed but in some good news for parents, any product packaged in primary or bright colors that might be attractive to children are out, along with any edible resembling commercially available candy. Given the large existing market in Florida for medical marijuana, the sale of edibles including granola bars and even olive oil is expected to boom. Bon appétit!