The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (ABCB) is moving to bring long-needed clarity to what medical marijuana dispensaries can legally offer alongside cannabis products. A new rulemaking proposal adopted on October 22 aims to resolve confusion that has persisted since the District first launched its medical cannabis program over a decade ago.
Under existing regulations, dispensaries have faced uncertainty over whether they can sell non-cannabis goods such as snacks, drinks, or branded merchandise. The lack of explicit guidance, regulators say, has left businesses in a compliance gray zone—sometimes forcing them to self-censor or risk violating rules that weren’t clearly defined.
The ABCB’s proposed update draws sharper lines. Alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and non-cannabis vape products would all be prohibited, as would activities that might attract minors or create what officials described as “nightlife activity” inconsistent with the medical purpose of the program.
However, the proposal also introduces new flexibility. Licensed dispensaries could sell branded merchandise, cannabis accessories, and prepackaged, non-infused, non-alcoholic food and beverages to adults over 18. Additionally, dispensaries operating approved safe-use treatment facilities or summer gardens could permit patients to consume food or non-alcoholic drinks brought in from outside or delivered to the premises.
“The sale and service of alcohol or tobacco at a business with a Medical Cannabis Retailer License may encourage nightlife activity,” the Board wrote in its notice, warning that such changes could harm “the peace, order, and quiet” of surrounding neighborhoods.
Another key provision focuses on youth access. Minors under 18 would be prohibited from entering cannabis retail locations unless they are registered medical cannabis patients and accompanied by a parent or guardian—a policy intended to reinforce the program’s medical intent and limit exposure to non-patients.
The rulemaking reflects D.C.’s ongoing efforts to modernize and stabilize its medical marijuana system, which has expanded rapidly since recreational gifting businesses began to close and more dispensaries converted to regulated medical operations. Public comment on the proposal is expected to open in the coming weeks before final adoption.
Read the whole article from the OutlawReport here.
