Liquor Control Board to limit marijuana-infused products appealing to children

Today, the Washington State Liquor Control Board adopted emergency rules adding a requirement that all marijuana-infused products, packaging, and labeling be approved by them.  The rules are to clarify the types of marijuana-infused products the board will allow to be produced and sold.  The board's issue paper on the emergency rules states:

"Many marijuana-infused products on the medical marijuana market today are appealing to children.  Products such as lollipops, gummy bears, and cotton candy are very appealing to children too young to read a label."

To gain approval from the board, marijuana processors must submit a picture of the product, its label, and packaging to them.  The board will not approve products that appeal to children.

Marijuana-infused products that look like foods and beverages that children commonly eat and drink have been a concern for Prevention WINS members even prior to the I-502 vote.  Concerns were expressed to the Liquor Control Board during their rule-making process and as they developed recommendations for reconciling the recreational and medical marijuana systems.  During rule-making, Prevention WINS included the following in our letter to the board:

Recently, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association – Pediatrics discussed the increase in unintentional ingestion of marijuana among children in Colorado.

As the Board knows from experience, many flavored malt beverages are fruit flavored and particularly attractive to minors. In one survey about underage drinking, when asked what one type of alcohol drink they would most prefer, 30% of teens said “alcopops” (the term used to describe these flavored alcoholic beverages – a combination of “alcohol” and “pop”).

In the past, the Board has banned the sale of certain alcohol products because of the high likelihood that the products are attractive to minors. A similar ban should be placed on marijuana-infused products that are attractive to minors and resemble products primarily consumed by children. Examples of such products, many of which currently may be sold in medical marijuana access points, include but are not limited to:

• Snow-cones,
• Hard candy, lollipops, and cookies shaped like animals, people, cartoon and other characters, Christmas trees, snowmen, stars, etc.,
• Soda-pop,
• Juice,
• Candy bars,
• Pop-Tarts,
• “Gummy” candies shaped like worms, bears, etc.

Some flavored tobacco and alcohol products are also banned because of their potential to attract young people. The Board should ban marijuana products containing flavorings such as fruit, candy, and vanilla.

The emergency rules also include guidelines regarding serving sizes.  The new rules read:

"Marijuana-infused products in solid form that contain more than one serving must be scored to indicate individual serving sizes, and labeled so that the serving size is prominently displayed on the packaging."

"Marijuana-infused products must be homogenized to ensure uniform disbursement of cannabinoids throughout the product."  

Prevent teen drug use, prevent teen DUIs

Earlier this year, the Washington State Toxicologist reported that the primary drug, including alcohol, detected in DUI cases among people under the age of 21 is marijuana.  A recent study confirms that marijuana-related driving crashes are a significant problem among younger drivers. From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: 

The profile of a drugged driver has changed substantially since 1993, according to a new study released today in the journal Public Health Reports, which shows that more drivers are now testing positive for prescription drugs, marijuana and multiple drugs.

. . . The study examines trends in the characteristics of U.S. drivers who were involved in fatal crashes between 1993 and 2010 and tested positive for drugs.

. . . Almost 60 percent of cannabis-only users were younger than 30 years.  (About 36% of meth users and 25% of prescription drug and cocaine users were younger than 30.) 

We see that cocaine and methamphetamine are becoming less and less prevalent. Drugged drivers now would be much more likely to be using marijuana and prescription drugs, and they would probably be more likely to be mixing those drugs with alcohol. We see that overall fatalities are going down, perhaps because people are more likely to be in seat belts, but the mixing of alcohol with drugs is not trending down. It’s becoming more of a problem. 

The author notes that “these trends are likely to continue into the future given . . . increasing initiatives to legalize marijuana.”   

One way to prevent DUIs among people under the age of 21 is to prevent drug use, including marijuana and alcohol, among adolescents. Young drivers who do not use drugs don't drive under the influence. 

Marijuana legalization projected to increase heavy use among teens

During Wednesday's "What Works!" symposium about evidence-based marijuana prevention programs, researchers said they expect that most marijuana will be used by Washingtonians who already consume it and that they will increase their use.  Like the alcohol and tobacco industries, it is expected that 80% of the marijuana industry's profits will come from 20% of users -- heavy users.

The July 1 CESAR Fax suggests the same will happen among youth.

When high school students were asked if they would be more likely to use marijuana if it were legal, 16% of those who never used said it would be more likely that they would start using.

While a possible16% increase in teen "lifetime" marijuana use is to be taken seriously and addressed by coalitions such as Prevention WINS, a possible increase in heavy use among current users also needs to be monitored and addressed by organizations who work with youth who use drugs.  According to the authors of the study, "One possible scenario suggested by these data is that even if legalization does not drive up overall prevalence of teen marijuana use, it may lead to increased use among those already using, including teens who are already smoking marijuana almost daily."

In NE Seattle, 25% of high school sophomores reported using marijuana in the last thirty days (2012 Healthy Youth Survey).  Marijuana shops are slated to open in the spring of 2014.  By the time the 2014 Healthy Youth Survey results are in, we may start to see how a fully implemented legal marijuana marketplace affects teen marijuana use.

Youth marijuana use rates up in North Seattle

On April 26 I posted information about a man who was arrested for selling pot brownies to Ballard middle and high school students.  Yesterday, Q13-FOX reported that marijuana use rates are up at Ballard High School and are above the state average.

Like Ballard, youth marijuana use rates increased in NE Seattle and 10th grade use rates at Nathan Hale and Roosevelt High Schools are also above the state average.

Source: Washington State Healthy Youth Survey.

Complete NE Seattle results are available on the Prevention WINS website.