More than one-fourth of the U.S. Senate has signed onto a new bill that would increase criminal penalties for manufacturing or selling Schedule I drugs like marijuana in the form of candy or beverages if there is “reasonable cause to believe” they will be sold to minors, reports Marijuana Moment. The bill, introduced by 26 GOP members last week, does not explicitly reference cannabis, but it covers substances that are in Schedule I or II of the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Many state markets continue to allow THC-infused beverages and sell edible gummies and cookies, setting an age limit that prevents people under 21 from legally accessing cannabis shops. If the legislation is enacted, one possible effect would be that people who are federally prosecuted for such criminal activity could face up to 10 additional years in prison for a first offense if the cannabis product sold to a person under 18 was shaped or flavored like candy. Second and subsequent offenses would carry up to 20 additional years in prison. Preventing underage marijuana use in particular is a shared goal among legalization advocates and prohibitionists alike.