The legality of cannabis infused herbal supplements has come into question as a New York cannabis farm was issued a stop order for supplying ingredients to a cannabis-infused herbal supplement company.
According to a recent New York Post exclusive, New York's Office of Cannabis Management has issued a stop order to Hudson Cannabis, a cannabis farmer in Hudson Valley. Hudson Cannabis is a supplier for over 140 legal dispensaries throughout New York, servicing several dispensaries in Manhattan, Long Island, and upstate NY. Hudson Valley was issued the stop order for providing ingredients for cannabis brand 1906.
1906 sells cannabis-infused herbal supplements in the form of gummies and pills, the supplements claim to help with pain, sleep, brainpower, happiness, arousal, energy, and more. The herbal supplements for energy contain caffeine, cannabis, and other plant medicines. One review for the energy pill, "Go," claims that this product has replaced their energy drinks, while another review called the product a "life changer." The products include microdoses of cannabis to help you attain an elevated mood but allows you to maintain clarity to those with low tolerances. The "Genius" pill for brainpower contains caffeine and claims to promote "cognitive focus, memory enhancement, and calm concentration." New York is not included in the list of states these products are able to ship to, despite being a "legal" state.
The NY law specifically prohibits products that contain an "ingredient that would increase potency, toxicity, or addictive potential, or that would create an unsafe combination, known or unknown, with other psychoactive substances." Does caffeine infused cannabis pose an additional risk?
Matthew Schweber, a lawyer for 1906's parent firm doesn't think so. "Do they have documented evidence of any of the dangers of combining caffeine and cannabis? No, of course not,” the lawyer said.
Beyond this, the prohibition does not apply to "products containing naturally occurring caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or chocolate." Does infused caffeine cause (high)er (pot)ential risks that are not imposed by naturally occuring caffeine? The OCM claims that cannabis infused caffeine increases certain risks such as addiction, but these claims have been questioned by the lawyers in the case.
Due to the lack of cannabis research, it is difficult to conclusively determine whether caffeine and cannabis interact to cause negative side effects. Studies have been done on animals, but there is little evidence that humans are affected by the combination of these substances.
Due to the lack of research, is ideal to listen to your own body and take it slow when combining new combinations of substances. Personally, a joint and a coffee is one of my favorite (and most iconic) combinations. It is truely a classic and is often a staple for stoners. Since, at least in my experience, cannabis lovers tend to be coffee lovers as well. In my opinion, there's nothing better than grabbing a delicious rich cup at your local coffee shop then hitting up your local dispensary for a pre roll as you take a stroll through the park!
Comments