Assessment of Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries’ Compliance With Underage Access and Marketing Restrictions in California

Abstract

losses. This adds to their already high levels of workplace stress, which can affect the quality of their relationships with children and their families. 5 These deaths also add to and could worsen the ongoing economic hardships experienced by many ECE professionals. 1,5 For children to learn well, the ECE professionals who teach them must be well. At a minimum, staff wellness requires wages and health care access commensurate with the respect and attention these essential frontline workers 6 deserve for their commitment to their profession and their role in young children's lives.

Associations of recreational cannabis dispensaries’ availability, storefront signage and health benefit signs with cannabis use: findings from a representative adult sample in California, United States

“…Our cross‐sectional study used three data sets, all of which were collected by our team: (1) individual data on cannabis use outcomes and covariates, which came from the national Marijuana Use and Environment Survey (MUES), (2) RCD listing and location data in California, which were collected and verified using a validated approach and (3) RCD points‐of‐sale marketing data in California, which were audited using the Standardized Marijuana Dispensary Assessment—children‐focused (SMDA‐CF). We briefly describe data collection below and published details elsewhere [26, 48–50]. Data collection was approved by the Human Research Protections Program at the University of California San Diego.…”

“…We used a validated auditing instrument to objectively audit all the RCDs in California, which addressed limitations in self-reporting such as recall and selection bias [48,49]. Lastly, unlike most previous studies measuring overall cannabis use, we differentiated medical use from recreational use, which was considerably more concerning from a public health perspective.…”

The clouded debate: A systematic review of comparative longitudinal studies examining the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on key public health outcomes

“…There are several confounding factors which are infrequently controlled for, though should be accounted for when analyzing the implications of RML on public health outcomes. For example, the proliferation of marketing strategies of edibles ( 92 ) mounted alongside several reports of non-compliant tactics, especially regarding youth ( 93 , 94 ) may be contributing to an uptick in adverse public health outcomes, such as pediatric exposures to cannabis or emergency department visits ( 95 , 96 ). Another notable confounder in the landscape of recreational legalization is its potential “spillover effect” to neighboring non-legalized states ( 19 , 97 ).…”

California Cannabis Markets—Why Industry-Friendly Regulation Is Not Good Public Health

“…California also has enacted strict age requirements for sales, but a recent study shows that 85% of a random sample of retailers throughout the state did not require proof of age until inside the establishment, where positive messaging, advertisements, and child-friendly products are featured and can be seen by youth accompanying their parents but seated in a waiting room. 9 The cannabis industry is not held accountable for misleading or inadequate information regarding the safety of cannabis during pregnancy, which is why cannabis retailers have been caught recommending the use of cannabis for pregnancy-related symptoms. 10 Although California limits the amount of the psychoactive ingredient in a package of concentrates or oils, the limits are so high that a standard vaping cartridge containing 80% THC has the equivalent of 160 5-mg doses of THC.…”

“…More prominent warnings, like those required globally for tobacco, could help alert consumers to potential health risks of cannabis use, particularly for youth, and of exposure to cannabis in utero . California also has enacted strict age requirements for sales, but a recent study shows that 85% of a random sample of retailers throughout the state did not require proof of age until inside the establishment, where positive messaging, advertisements, and child-friendly products are featured and can be seen by youth accompanying their parents but seated in a waiting room . The cannabis industry is not held accountable for misleading or inadequate information regarding the safety of cannabis during pregnancy, which is why cannabis retailers have been caught recommending the use of cannabis for pregnancy-related symptoms .…”