It is important to understand that regulation IS going to need to be a part of the process of opening up the laws and the main reason is public safety concerns. Creating a safe supply chain begins with regulations that control the growing, processing , transportation, manufacturing, testing, storing, packaging and retail sales. Along the supply chain there are many places and ways to raise money for state and local governments, to oversee and enforce the regulations. Ensuring that cannabis and its products are safe, requires testing for contaminants including mold, mildew, toxins, heavy metals, solvents and pesticides. Failures, of these tests, will remove dangerous products from the supply chain and give some level of assurance to consumers. Additionally, testing for cannabinoids, and terpenes, will help educate consumers about how their body processes this plant.
With time, the public will get more comfortable knowing that it is impossible to take a lethal dose of cannabis or that the anxiety will go away with CBD intake and some water. Poison control calls and trips to the emergency room will decrease as public knowledge increases on the overall safety of cannabis. However, there are some issues that are just not going to go away. No one wants impaired drivers on the roads, and even less think that it is appropriate or funny to give cannabis, especially concentrated cannabis, like that in edibles, to little children. Expect the penalties to get stiffer and for future states, looking at allowing cannabis in any form, to not move forward without realistically creating laws to address all areas which will cause concern or harm to public safety.
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