Montgomery County health officials warn restaurants not to sell cannabis-infused food, drinks

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Recreational marijuana has only been legal in Maryland for a few weeks but already Montgomery County health officials are issuing a warning to restaurants, telling them not to try to sell cannabis-infused food or drinks. 

It comes as counties around the state are trying to keep up with the new industry. 

Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis tells FOX 5 that she fired off a letter to restaurant owners and food operators telling them they can’t add cannabis, CBD or THC to any food or drink they serve because it has not been approved as a food additive by the FDA.

Even though recreational cannabis is currently legal in Maryland, Montgomery County’s health officer warns that "edible cannabis products may not be marketed or offered for sale as "foods."

"There is personal consumption. So somebody might want to bake brownies for their own consumption or their friends — that’s still allowed. But anything that would be for purchase or sale, a food establishment cannot do that," Davis said.

Davis says only licensed cannabis dispensaries selling edible cannabis products are licensed and regulated by the state. 

"It’s really to clarify the difference between edible cannabis, versus having cannabis in foods, and under the legalization of marijuana that came through there is allowance for edibles but that is a specific thing," Davis said.  "Marijuana has not been approved as a food additive so it’s not ok to just add it in, and sell it for customers." 

So what do you do if want to eat your cannabis? Head to a legal dispensary. 

Bloom Medicinal in Germantown is licensed to sell ‘edibles" in select dosages for personal use.

"We have COA’s certificate of analysis that tells you all the testing that’s been done. There’s no illegal products in it, everything possible so you’re getting a safe product, know what you’re getting, how much you’re getting of it and there’s no risk of having something dangerous happen," said Carla Johnson with Bloom Medicinals. 

Johnson says people shouldn’t try cooking with cannabis and instead speak to a dispensary on how to proceed safely.