State to allow ‘Joints for Jabs’ promotions to support vaccinations

Marijuana retailers in Washington state can offer a free joint to customers who receive a COVID-19 vaccination at an in-store clinic.

“The (state) Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) received multiple requests from “marijuana” (herein referred to as cannabis) retail licensees to engage in a promotion, in a mutual effort with the State of Washington, to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations,” according to a June 7 email to retailers and a board media release. “Effective immediately, the LCB is providing a limited allowance for retail cannabis licensed businesses to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the retail store, and offer one joint at no cost to customers who receive a COVID-19 vaccination at the promotional clinic. The allowance is optional for licensees, and will expire on July 12, 2021.”

Here are the conditions:

• Participating cannabis retailers may only provide a pre-roll joint, and no other product may be provided as part of this allowance.

• Any cannabis joint provided to a customer must be associated with an active vaccine clinic event at the retail location.

• Only one complimentary joint may be provided to a customer who receives a first or second COVID-19 vaccine dose at the event.

• Receipt of the complimentary joint must occur during the same visit as receiving the vaccination, and may not be delayed, postponed, or otherwise acquired at a later date or time.

• Retailers may only provide the complementary joint to persons 21 years of age and older.

• Any vaccine clinic held inside a licensed retail location must comply with all age restriction requirements for the cannabis retailer.

• The cannabis joint must be provided by a retailer, and not a producer or processor.

• The retailer must purchase the product at wholesale from a licensed producer or processor.

• The retailer may provide the cannabis joint without having to conduct a retail sale of the product. As no sale occurs, the provided product will not be subject to sales and excise tax for the retail licensee.

• Licensees are required to maintain records of all product provided as part of this allowance.

• Advertising of vaccine clinics and one complementary joint for those receiving a first or second COVID-19 vaccine will be allowable during the afforded time period, so long as licensees maintain compliance with all other advertising regulations.

• This allowance does not supersede any state or local health rules and regulations, and licensees must ensure compliance with local heath jurisdiction rules and regulations associated with such clinics.