Ask a Stoner: Do Weed Edibles List Nutrition Facts?

Dear Stoner: Why don’t weed edibles list nutrition facts? I want to know how much sugar and fat these things have.
Andrea

Dear Andrea: Some edibles companies, usually the larger ones, do list nutritional information on their labels, and all of them list ingredients. However, those nutritional labels you’re used to seeing on the back of mac-and-cheese boxes are products of the Food and Drug Administration, which doesn’t govern state-legal cannabis businesses, thanks to federal prohibition. If we actually achieve national legalization one day, that standard will probably reach the pot industry, and we’ll have another layer of guilt to fight through when the munchies arrive.

It’s worth noting that the majority of alcohol packaging doesn’t carry nutritional labels. Because booze is regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which doesn’t have the same rules, you won’t see most craft beers announcing how many calories are inside the can. If we did, we might not consume as much. And the same might go for all of those weed candies, sweetened baked goods and sugary drinks at the dispensary if nutritional labels suddenly appeared.

Send questions to marijuana@westword.com.