SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 It was designed as an innovative way to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, but Washington\u2019s new \u201cjoints for jabs\u201d program is off to a rough start.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Officials announced Monday that the state’s nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to any 21-plus adult who received a shot there. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It’s one of many vaccine incentives being offered in Washington, including free pints of beer, sports tickets and prize money to lure those who have been hesitant or just lazy. Washington and Colorado in 2012 were the first states to legalize the adult use of marijuana, with regulated sales beginning in 2014. The industry brought Washington close to $474 million in taxes in the last fiscal year. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
But few things are simple in an industry that’s illegal under federal law, and the hurdles to offering the free joints are substantial enough that few of the state’s legal pot shops are saying they will participate, even if they would like to do so.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Retailers told the state Liquor and Cannabis Board during a meeting Wednesday that many don’t have the space to host a vaccine clinic. Some health care providers are queasy about setting up a clinic on the site of a marijuana business because they don’t want to jeopardize federal funding by being involved in the distribution of an illegal drug. And the program is set to expire July 12 \u2014 too soon for them to offer a second shot to customers who might show up for a first shot in mid- to late June.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The retailers also ruefully noted that the Liquor and Cannabis Board allowed breweries, wineries and bars to offer a free drink to customers who merely showed proof of vaccination \u2014 no onsite clinic required.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re hearing from retailers that they want to be a part of this,\u201d said Aaron Pickus, a spokesman for the Washington CannaBusiness Association, an industry group. \u201cWhy can’t we do this like the wineries and breweries did it?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Board chair David Postman told them it was a member of the business group who late last month suggested the program, which he and Gov. Jay Inslee’s office thought was a great idea.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
While a marijuana retailer in Arizona offered free vaccines along with complimentary joints or edibles early this month, no other state appears to have a similar \u201cjoints for jabs\u201d program. \u201cWe are out ahead on this,” Postman said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The requirement that the pot shops hold onsite vaccination clinics was partly motivated by the fact that people aren’t allowed to consume cannabis at licensed retailers, unlike alcohol at a brewery or winery, he said \u2014 suggesting that people who showed their vaccine cards at multiple pot shops could wind up with a lot of free joints that might be given to youngsters.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He also said that the board gave the marijuana stores an advantage it didn’t give to alcohol purveyors: a tax break on the product they give away.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I just beg for a little understanding,\u201d Postman said. \u201cIf it\u2019s not the right thing, then that\u2019ll be too bad, because I think we all need to get as many people vaccinated as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Daniela Bernhard, the co-owner of Uncle Ike\u2019s cannabis store in Seattle, told the board the industry is excited to be included in efforts to boost vaccination, but \u201cdisappointed that our legal and heavily regulated sector continues to be treated differently than our peer sectors in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are trusting adults driving with their vaccination cards to get a pint of beer and then responsibly get to their next destination, we can also trust that adults will pick up a joint and enjoy it later in a legal setting,\u201d Bernhard said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Bernhard said Uncle Ike’s effort to host a vaccine clinic had been rejected by two health care providers, though she declined to identify them.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
One public health agency, the Spokane Regional Health District, had not yet been approached by any licensed marijuana shops about setting up a vaccine clinic \u2014 but it had an answer ready.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would not be able to provide vaccine because of concerns about federal funding,\u201d spokeswoman Kelli Hawkins said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 It was designed as an innovative way to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, but Washington\u2019s new \u201cjoints for jabs\u201d program is off to a rough start. Officials announced Monday that the state’s nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to any 21-plus adult […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":521,"featured_media":1585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"guid":"","source":"The Associated Press","byline":"Gene Johnson","published":"2021-06-09T11:04:08","updated":"","_infotelid":"CP733208014","_prepressid":"","_multisite_post_sync":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,424,381],"tags":[],"region":[309,310,311,312],"class_list":["post-307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in420","category-lifestyles","category-topnews","region-kamloops","region-kelowna","region-penticton","region-vernon"],"blocksy_meta":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/in420\/news\/307\/washingtons-joints-for-jabs-vaccine-program-falling-flat\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Washington’s ‘joints for jabs’ vaccine program falling flat","url":"http:\/\/infonews.ca\/in420\/news\/307\/washingtons-joints-for-jabs-vaccine-program-falling-flat\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/infonews.ca\/in420\/news\/307\/washingtons-joints-for-jabs-vaccine-program-falling-flat\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/in420\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/20210609200640-60c15fd5e1f12d55b09acc94jpeg.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/in420\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/20210609200640-60c15fd5e1f12d55b09acc94jpeg.jpg"},"articleSection":"iN420","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"The Associated Press"}],"creator":["The Associated Press"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"iN420","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2021-06-09T18:04:08Z","datePublished":"2021-06-09T18:04:08Z","dateModified":"2021-06-10T01:04:08Z"},"rendered":"