If you’re planning to buy Marijuana in DC in 2022, there are many options between storefronts, delivery services, medical dispensaries, events, and meetups. Marijuana shops in dc and delivery services deliver to your house, hotels, workplace, or anywhere within the city confines, however, you must be over 21 years of age to purchase anything. There are often daily events, and meetups, and the medical dispensaries are open seven days a week. Due to the strictness of 21+ companies will often check for your ID card in order to verify your age before serving you. You can also purchase 420-friendly AirBNBs in DC that may have products and everything you need for your entire stay. Before purchasing Marijuana in DC, be sure to check out the law regarding the sale of marijuana. Marijuana is still illegal for minors and people under the age of 21. Additionally, without being one of the seven dispensaries in the city you are not able to sell it but people can give it away for free which has created a vibrant inclusive marijuana market.
Those who’d rather buy weed can do so from a DC marijuana dispensary, but you must present your medical marijuana card. With the recent ABRA law changes, you are now able to self-certify within any of the 7 marijuana dispensaries and let them know that you wish to use medical marijuana. There are some open dispensaries which we called storefronts that gift-free marijuana in DC, but you must purchase an ancillary product such as a t-shirt or sticker to receive it. The government regulates the amount of cannabis that can be grown by each person in the city. You can grow up to six plants per adult per household, but only three can mature at once. With 2 adults in a house, a maximum of 12 plants can be grown. In addition to dispensaries, you can also purchase seeds or clones at local head shops and hydroponics stores. The DC Seed Exchange is a great place to buy cannabis seeds and clones in the district.
Medical Marijuana Legal since the ’90s
In 1998, the District of Columbia became one of the first jurisdictions to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Its voters approved the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1998, but the implementation was hampered by the Barr Amendment. In 1998, Georgia Congressman Bob Barr introduced the Barr Amendment, which would prevent D.C. from using federal funds to support its medical marijuana program. This provision was eventually overturned in 2009 and medical marijuana was legalized in the District of Columbia.The legalization of Marijuana in DC came into effect in 2014 when voters approved Initiative 71. The law changes made it legal for residents of the District of Columbia to possess and use small amounts of marijuana for personal use without a medical recommendation. This amendment also made it legal for people to consume Marijuana in private, as long as they purchase it with something else. The law also states that a medical marijuana card will be valid for up to 30 days.
A Quasi- Recreational Market was Made
Marijuana sales in the District are now legal for medical marijuana dispensaries, but not necessarily for anyone on the street. The District’s cannabis gift shops have tried to stay compliant with Initiative 71 regulations, which require that the cannabis is gifted only to adults over the age of 21 and not sold directly as marijuana. A dispensary that does not have this requirement may be able to make money by selling marijuana directly to consumers and may not pay proper business licenses or taxes which is what ultimately leads to issues within the local DC government. It may be worth your time to check out all of the dispensaries, but be aware that not all of the best products or prices are found in stores.
Regulation is Coming, ABRA Stepping In
As with any state that legalized marijuana, you’ll have to adhere to some regulations. First of all, you can’t smoke marijuana in public places. You must be at least a thousand feet away from public buildings in DC. You are not able to sell cannabis directly to people and everyone must be 21+. You can not have more than 2 ounces on a person at one time.
ABRA recently has come out to say that they have formed a Joint Cannabis Task Force aimed at regulating the market further.
The task force will be showing up to unlicensed businesses unannounced to provide and check whether they are in compliance with the following:
* DC Health—Edibles and other manufactured products being offered by businesses to customers must be approved by DC Health; businesses also must be in compliance with DC food safety and hygiene laws
* DCRA—Businesses operating in the District must be registered with DCRA; businesses also must be in compliance with the District’s general business requirements such as having the proper business license and Certificate of Occupancy
* FEMS—Businesses must be in compliance with DC fire code regulations such as having a clear path of egress for customers and having properly working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
* OTR—Businesses must register with OTR and pay taxes in DC
In addition to the requirements above, only dispensaries licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) may sell cannabis in DC. Seven cannabis dispensaries are currently licensed to operate in DC.
John McGowan of Kinner McGowan and the Outlaw Report followed with more information:
Earlier this month, the District’s alcohol and cannabis regulator, ABRA, published notice that it would be rolling out its newly minted interagency task force that targets unlicensed cannabis businesses. Per the notice, the task force will perform unannounced inspections on businesses following a 30-day grace period.
ABRA’s notice was vague as to the scope of the joint police, so I requested more information. Here are key points I learned about the upcoming inspections:
-the 30-day grace period sunsets on September 5, 2022;
-the task force will conduct inspections on an ongoing basis;
-Inspections will be conducted by DC Health, DCRA, OTR, and FEMS. Such inspections will be limited to areas under the authority of these agencies;
-OTR will review business registrations for compliance independently, and not participate in site inspections.
-DFS, OAG and the MPD will also be members of the task force but will not play an inspection role;
-ABRA is only the coordinating agency, and will not assume an inspection role.
DC businesses operating in the local cannabis market should be aware that this effort is coming down the pike, and prepare accordingly.
Things are changing in the DC marijuana market and we’re staying on top of it.