NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series

Marijuana Edibles: Regulatory Updates, Risk Assessment
and Public Health Messaging

Presenter: Keith Warriner, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph

The next chapter in marijuana legalization is the introduction of commercially produced edibles with the first legal products expected to be on the shelves next month. The regulations appear restrictive and the types of edibles to be available remain obscure. However, there exists a gray market where a diverse range of edibles are available with a trend of domestically produced edibles set to become increasingly popular.

In the following presentation an overview of a foundation risk assessment will be provided. This will include risk identification (biological, physical and chemical), risk characterization, risk management options and risk communication strategies. With regards to the latter, the results of an assessment of public health messaging from State committees within the United States. It will be shown how transparency, inclusion of users/stake holders and committee structure are important aspects when delivering public health advisors.

Presenter Bio:

Dr. Warriner is currently a Professor within the Department of Food Science at University of Guelph, Canada. Dr. Warriner received his BSc in Food Science from the University of Nottingham, UK and PhD in Microbial Physiology from the University College of Wales Aberystwyth, UK. He later went on to work on biosensors within the University of Manchester, UK and subsequently returned to the University of Nottingham to become a Research Fellow in Food Microbiology. He joined the Faculty of the University of Guelph in 2002.

During the last 23 years in the field of microbiology and food safety research, Dr. Warriner has published more than 100 papers, book chapters, patents, and conference abstracts. His research interests are focused on enhancing food safety within meat processing, fresh cut sectors and more recently, in the area of marijuana edibles. To this end, his research team have advanced knowledge in the area of emerging pathogens (C. difficile, toxigenic E. coli), intervention technologies, bacteriophages and development of biosensor devices to detection of foodborne hazards. He is frequently contacted by the media to provide commentary on food safety issues and is currently the director of the OMAFRA HQP Program.

REGISTER: NCCEH Marijuana Edibles webinar