Abstract Background Effectiveness of statutes to combat hazardous polysubstance use has rarely been evaluated. Compliance with a state law prohibiting recreational cannabis sales to apparently intoxicated customers was assessed in one of the first states to legalize cannabis sales. Methods In January to June 2024, pseudo‐patrons twice visited recreational cannabis stores ( n = 189) in two large metropolitan areas and attempted to purchase cannabis while displaying alcohol intoxication behaviors. Observers recorded whether sellers were willing to sell the product along with characteristics of the stores (busyness, cleanliness, and signage) and cannabis sellers (sex, race and ethnicity, and age). Neighborhood characteristics by US census tract were obtained (income, race, and ethnicity; population density). Sex and race and ethnicity of the pseudo‐patrons, and extent and type of intoxication cues, were recorded. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to describe the sales rate and predictors of the sales rate. Results Assessments were completed at 173 stores. Sellers were willing to sell cannabis to pseudo‐intoxicated buyers at 255 of 346 visits (73.7%; 26.3% refused). Sellers refused buyers at both visits in 6.9% of stores but in 54.3% were willing to sell at both visits. Sellers refused cannabis sales at higher rates in stores with signs saying, “no sales to intoxicated customers” (34.3%, p = 0.04), particularly when buyers displayed more obvious signs of intoxication (39.8%, p = 0.049). Conclusions Low compliance with the state regulation possibly occurred because sellers were unaware of the law, perceived little deterrence, or lacked the skills to recognize and refuse intoxicated customers. Policy Implications Noncompliance with the law on selling cannabis to apparently alcohol‐intoxicated customers increases the risks of polysubstance impairment and harm.
Woodall et al. (Thu,) studied this question.