By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Weed brownies and cookies. Yay!
Not so fast.
The Department of Public Health and Social Services says you can't legally have them.
Although medical and recreational use of marijuana is now legal on Guam, manufacturing and selling foods infused with cannabis are prohibited by local and federal laws, according to the health department.
The department's Division of Environmental Health issued the reminder today as Guam prepares to set the marijuana industry in motion.
The Cannabis Control Board will begin accepting and processing business license applications on Aug. 26.
The health department said it will not clear any business license application, or issue sanitary permits to establishments proposing to manufacture or sell cannabis-infused foods, including beverages or food supplements.
"Furthermore, regulatory enforcement actions, including monetary penalty and the suspension of sanitary permits, may be initiated against establishments or individuals commercially manufacturing or selling cannabis-infused food products," the department said.
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The department cited provisions of the Guam Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which states, "A food shall be deemed to be adulterated if it is or it bears or contains any food additive which is unsafe within the meaning of the federal act.”
The department made reference to the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act, which defines “food additive” as "any substance which results in it becoming a component of any food, unless the substance is generally recognized as safe among qualified experts under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the substance meets a listed exception."
The department said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "does not recognize CBD, THC, or another cannabis-derived compound as generally recognized as safe for use as an ingredient in the food."
In addition, the health department said, the Guam Food Code and the Retail Food Store Sanitation Regulations "prevent the use of food additives that are not considered safe under the GFDCA. "
The department said cookies, brownies, and other food products that have CBD, THC, or other cannabis-derived compounds that are manufactured or sold commercially are illegal under Guam law.
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