Four of 22 pot shops in Washington State were busted for selling marijuana to underage shoppers in sting operations this month, according to a statement made Wendesday by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
The WSLCB called each of the retail marijuana stores to warn them before the state-run sting began and to bring their attention to best practices in avoiding illegal sales. In an email sent out Wednesday, the board cited four stores, two in Everett and two in Tacoma, that sold marijuana to 18-20 year-old operatives. This represents an 82% compliance rate.
This was Washington’s first round of compliance checks, conducted May 15-18 in Skagit, Snohomish, Kitsap, Pierce and Cowlitz Counties.
The Board’s liquor enforcement officers can issue Administrative Violation Notices to stores that fail these checks, as well as fines and/or temporary license suspensions in the case of severe or frequent violations.
Because they present a public safety threat, sales to a minor are considered to be the most serious infraction, and can be punished with a 10-day license suspension or a $2,500 fine. A store with three public safety infractions within the span of three years can have its license revoked.
Photo Credit: Dank Depot