North Dakota’s New Medical Marijuana Edibles Law Takes Effect August 1

The new law adds edibles—specifically lozenges and geometric-shaped items like bars and chews—to the state’s medical marijuana program, while imposing strict production and packaging standards to ensure safety and prevent appeal to children. All edibles must be produced by licensed manufacturing facilities and cannot be sold by dispensaries without written approval from the Department of Health and Human Services. Each edible package must be child-resistant, opaque, resealable, and contain no more than 50 milligrams of THC in total. Serving sizes must be clearly marked, and all labels are required to include THC content, full ingredient lists, and manufacturer details using black Arial font.

Before any product can reach dispensary shelves, state officials must review and approve the item’s design, production method, labeling, and marketing plan. The Department of Health and Human Services will also develop formal rules to enforce these requirements uniformly across the state.

HB 1203 was introduced by Representative Jim Vetter and passed with wide bipartisan support, including a 70 to 21 vote in the House and a 42 to 3 vote in the Senate. The measure builds on the state’s voter-approved medical marijuana program, which was established in 2016.