The Barry-Eaton District Health Department will host a marijuana lockbox giveaway event on June 22.

The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) will hold a drive-through marijuana lockbox giveaway event on Saturday, June 22, 2024, according to a press release dated June 13.

The event is aimed at promoting safe storage of marijuana in Eaton County homes to prevent accidental ingestion, particularly by children and pets. The lockboxes will be given away for free and no personal information will be collected from recipients.

When and where the lockbox giveaways will take place

Eaton County residents can participate in the event by driving up to the main door of the BEDHD Charlotte Office located at 1033 Health Care Dr. Charlotte, MI 48813 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. However, the announcement noted that State of Michigan employees are ineligible to receive a lockbox.

The lockboxes have been funded by a grant the BEDHD received from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Cannabis Regulatory Agency through the Marijuana Operation, and Oversight Grants for Eaton County.

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP), a state registry program within the Cannabis Regulatory Agency, administers the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act approved by voters in 2008.

The Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force (BCSATF), the recipient of the Marijuana Operation and Oversight Grants for Barry County, will also distribute lockboxes at an event scheduled for the same day from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Barry County Community Mental Health parking lot.

Why marijuana lockboxes are important

While medical and recreational marijuana are legal in Michigan, the safe storage of these substances is a public health concern.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics found a dramatic increase in reported cases of accidental consumption of cannabis edibles by children under six, from just over 200 in 2017 to 3,054 in 2021 – an increase of 1,375%. The marijuana lockboxes are intended to minimize this risk.

For more information about the marijuana lockbox giveaway event, interested parties can visit the BEDHD website or contact Emily Smale at  517-541-2669. Further questions about the Marihuana Operation and Oversight Grant can also be directed to her.

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This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This story was generated in part by AI and edited by The ‘Gander staff.

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