Salmonella marijuana and other pot problems

Marijuana is now legal in Washington state, but regulators still haven't solved a crucial problem: how to make sure newly available pot products don't become dangerous to public health.

A report on MSN.com shows officials in both Washington and Colorado are struggling to come up with safety standards for a a menu of marijuana offerings like food and drinks.

Just like other agricultural products, marijuana could be subject to an array of problems ranging from mold, mites and pesticide residue in the raw plants to E. coli, salmonella and other safety risks in prepared products, experts say.

For now, government agencies including the Food and Drug Administration are staying away from the issue because marijuana remains illegal under federal law. That leaves state officials alone to come up with rules for policing production and distribution of pot.

Voters in Washington passed I-502 last fall, legalizing pot for recreational use. The state is set to issue producer, processor and retail licenses starting December 1.

You can view the full MSN report here.