Want to Lower Underage Cannabis Use? Develop a Controlled Legal Market

With more and more U.S. states legalizing cannabis for recreational use, there is concern over whether legal cannabis will increase teen use. The truth is that a well regulated legal cannabis market may be just the step needed to keep teens from accessing and using cannabis underage.

Controlling both the production and retail of cannabis products are important steps for keeping cannabis products out of the reach of children. Education programs that help teens understand the risks of underage cannabis use can further lower teen use rates. When these steps are taken, legalized recreational cannabis can reliably prevent underage cannabis use.

Regulating Cannabis Sales

An incredibly effective way to keep teens from initially accessing cannabis products is setting up a well regulated legal distribution system that includes an age gate to keep teens from entering cannabis dispensaries.

Much like with alcohol and tobacco sales, the point of sale can be an important place to prevent the underage sale of cannabis products. Dispensaries in some legal cannabis states like California and Colorado use an ID check controlled system that prevents those who are underage from accessing the sales floor where cannabis products are displayed and sold.

A recent study conducted in Colorado that explored compliance in 85 dispensaries in the state found that nearly all were able to successfully prevent underage sales by having an ID controlled security check between customers and the sales floor.

Similar results were seen in a sting operation set up in Oregon, where all 20 legal dispensaries involved were able to prevent underage sales.

However, in Washington, where dispensaries are less likely to check ID at the door, almost half of the underage shoppers were able to access the sales floor. Of the 40 percent that reached the sales floor, almost fifteen percent were able to make a purchase.

Researchers concluded, “Checking IDs at the door may be an effective compliance technique. When buyers are able to interact with the clerk at the counter and select a product for purchase, clerks may believe erroneously that some other employee checked their IDs, establish a relationship with buyers, and/or feel pressure to conclude the sale.”

This age gate ensures that underage users are not able to access cannabis products. Establishing it as an enforceable policy in all legal cannabis states can potentially duplicate the positive results seen in Oregon and Colorado in preventing underage cannabis use.

However, the age controls afforded by regulated legal marijuana dispensaries are meaningless unless the legal cannabis market is able to help eliminate the marijuana black market. This black market — a combination of unlicensed dispensaries and “drug dealers” of all types — has less incentive than legal dispensaries to prevent underage use and are more likely to sell to underage customers. Therefore, supporting a thriving legal cannabis market is an important step towards minimizing underage use. I explore more of the dangers of the marijuana black market here.

Controlling Cannabis Production

Minimizing supply to the black market is another way legal cannabis states can prevent underage cannabis use by restricting illegal access. A significant percent of the cannabis grown in California is headed for the black market in the state as well as in states around the country.

It isn’t just cannabis flower that has made its way to the black market. Manufactured products like edibles and vapes can also be readily obtained on the black market. These types of illegal cannabis products pose a significant risk to consumers because they are not tested or regulated the same as legal products.

While some black market retailers sell knockoff products made to look like those available on the legal market, it has recently come to light that legal companies may also be diverting some of their products to the black market as well.

In October 2019, an unlicensed Kushy Punch manufacturing facility was raided unlicensed Kushy Punch manufacturing facility was raided and $21 million in cannabis products, including 7,200 illicit vapes, were seized. As a result, the company lost its license to operate in California. Kushy Punch, through a statement released by their lawyer, has denied any wrongdoing and insists that the confiscated vapes were set to be destroyed, not sold.

The fear in cases like this is that legal cannabis companies may be diverting their cannabis products that would not pass testing requirements to the established network of illegal, unlicensed dispensaries. These unlicensed and potentially toxic products could be harmful to consumers, especially anyone who is underage.

A healthy and strongly enforced legal cannabis market can prevent illicit and potentially dangerous products from being sold in unlicensed dispensaries to underage consumers.

Cannabis Education as Part of Prevention

However, restricting teen access to cannabis products is only part of a successful strategy to prevent underage cannabis use. A central part of any legal cannabis law should be a cannabis education program funded by cannabis tax and licensing revenue.

In a method similar to the way we educate teens regarding alcohol and tobacco, legal cannabis programs should work to make teens aware of the potential dangers that underage cannabis use could pose.

Cannabis education primarily falls on parents to help them understand the risks of underage cannabis use. Adding tools to help parents speak with their children about cannabis as part of a state run cannabis education program can ensure kids learn early on from a trusted source about why they should wait until they are 21 before using cannabis.

While tactics like limits on cannabis advertising and location restrictions for cannabis businesses are often used to reduce underage exposure to cannabis, policies that include reasonable cannabis education are more effective at reducing demand.

Embracing Policies That Limit Underage Use

Legalizing recreational cannabis has proven to be an effective way to minimize teen use. Focusing efforts on controlling underage access, reducing the presence of the black market, and educating teens on the dangers of underage use can further deter cannabis use among teens while allowing the cannabis industry to grow.