Are all foods the same from state to state?

People get into their cars or planes this year and enjoy travelling. According to the US Travel Association, travel is up 4% compared to 2019. There was a bit of a hustle and bustle at the airports over Memorial Day weekend as people want to go and do something. But mixed with new experiences, people also find solace in things they know like Starbucks coffee, cracker barrel breakfasts, tried-and-true fast foods, and favorite edibles.

When you travel you might find the same edible from the same brand, but is it exactly the same? After all, a Hershey bar in Texas is the same as in Toronto, Honolulu, and New York City. It’s a complicated answer stuck in a slow-moving Congress.

Photo by Tim Gouw via Unsplash

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Marijuana for adult use is still illegal at the federal level, and interstate commerce between the states that regulate the industry is not allowed. Rumors on Capitol Hill are that after SAFE Banking is passed, interstate commerce will be next. And be it only for affiliated states like California/Oregon/Washington or New York/New Jersey.

This poses more of a challenge than meets the eye, as federal regulations dictate that legal, regulated cannabis products can only be sold in the same state in which they are manufactured, from seed to cultivation to the facility where the gummies are made manufactured, packaged and distributed by the pharmacy where you buy the product. Product companies cannot manufacture their products in a facility in their hometown and then ship the finished product all over the world.

It was a difficult situation, but early market leaders like Dixie Elixers (then known as Dixie Brands) took their cues from McDonald’s and Burger King and began finding licensees to make the exact same product in other states. A kind of franchise model with strict quality control.

Now this is more difficult than it sounds. Some companies do this very well, think McDonalds. Other companies like Dairy Queen are a bit more relaxed.

Based in Colorado, Wana Brands prides itself on quality control and has products in 15 states and Canada. It’s more like McDonalds. Wana was sold to Canopy Grow, which is owned by alcohol giant Constellation Brands. Their CEO, Nancy Whiteman, has the knowledge, skill and strength to ensure quality products in all manufacturing products.

Not every company can afford this and makes it even more difficult for small start-ups to be successful. Imagine building a solid product and then struggling to get it out of your mid-sized state.

Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels

Another problem is counterfeit products. Green Market Report wrote an article from industry sources. They share that despite the ongoing ban on the interstate trade in cannabis, legally manufactured and packaged marijuana products from California are increasingly finding their way into hundreds of smoke shops and bodegas in New York City. When asked where he got the goods, one owner replied that it came from a so-called “Burner Distribution” in California. In layman’s terms, he got it from a licensed California distributor who was willingly breaking state law by shipping legal cannabis out of the state.

There are also rumors that some of the “verified California products” sold in NYC are fake. Not unlike the Channel and Gucci bags on Canal Street.

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So if you’re traveling this summer, you have several options. First, try something new or if you want a favorite, go online and see where the product is sold in the US and Canada.