A new policy memo from an American alcohol retail industry group argues that marijuana should be regulated more like booze—including by requiring that intoxicating cannabis products be sold only by businesses licensed to sell alcohol.
“States should restrict the sale of intoxicating THC products to businesses licensed to sell beverage alcohol and that are regularly inspected for compliance with laws aimed at preventing sales to individuals under 21,” says the memo, published this month by the American Beverage Licensees (ABL) trade association.
The group contends that alcohol retailers, “with many decades of proven compliance, are best positioned to sell these products.”
Regulators should also treat cannabis similar to alcohol, the two-page policy memo says, such as by establishing licensing requirements, clear labeling standards and restrictions on advertising. “It may also include limits on potency per serving,” the alcohol trade group asserted.
THC products should also be lab tested for safety, purity and potency, the paper says. “Testing should verify the absence of harmful contaminants including but not limited to heavy metals, pesticides, mold and residual solvents, and confirm THC potency to prevent unintentional harmful effects.”
ABL, which represents on-premise sellers of beer, wine and spirits such as bars, taverns, restaurants and casinos, as well as off-premise retailers like package stores, is further calling for a “fair and transparent” tax structure for THC products, with production and retail tax rates “similar to those for beverage alcohol in the state.”
To ensure a working system, the memo also urges enforcement of laws and regulations. “This includes penalties for selling to underage individuals, failure to comply with testing and labeling requirements, and operating without a license,” the document says.
It also advises that states “should work with financial institutions, insurance providers, and regulatory authorities” to ensure that marijuana retailers have access to insurance and financial services.
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