WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(June 9, 2021) - Joints for Jabs

Joints for Jabs - Coverage Montage
[ Event Details ]

A “wave of interest” around the WSLCB-approved Joints for Jabs vaccination program provoked both media inquiry and criticism while the board and staff remained confident in the program.

Here are some observations from the Wednesday June 9th Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Executive Management Team (EMT) meeting.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • Director Rick Garza and Chair David Postman talked about the public response to the vaccine program and how state officials were “not in the business of promoting cannabis use."
    • Garza mentioned his media appearances, including “a radio show in Vancouver, BC,” and talked about the unprecedented nature of the vaccine promotion. On mentioning it to members of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), he had been told “Michigan allows one retailer” but most states weren’t even considering it. Stating that agency staff regularly heard they were “so far behind” on cannabis policies, Garza called Joints for Jabs “another example of innovation” from WSLCB leaders who were helping the state “get people vaccinated” through free cannabis or alcohol incentives (audio - 2m).
    • Postman noted the “critiques from all sides.” The “public health and prevention community is unhappy that we, we did anything of this sort that could look like we’re encouraging or promoting” cannabis consumption. In contrast “some of the retailers think we’re not doing enough,” he commented. Governor Jay Inslee wanted to “do everything we possibly could to encourage people” to get vaccinated. And while “having everyone mad is not necessarily the measure of striking the right balance,” Postman admitted, “I think we did.” He found the public statements from Smith and Garza struck a correct tone since the board was “not in the business of promoting cannabis use." He believed public health and cannabis use interests “do cross, momentarily” in the effort to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 (audio - 1m).
  • Board Member Ollie Garrett shared her experience helping establish a popup vaccination site through her work for the group Tabor 100 (audio - 2m).
    • Admitting she wished “I had gotten more involved in the conversation,” Garrett addressed challenges finding appropriate staff to administer on-site vaccinations as expressed by licensees in public comment. In working with Tabor 100 to organize a vaccine pop-up site, she’d found “the only that’s required, we had to have a nurse or pharmacy here giving the vaccine and able to account that we’re letting anyone who comes in, there’s a seating area where they have to sit for 15 minutes” in case of an adverse reaction. Garrett indicated that a Tabor 100 member was a pharmacist “and had a nurse that they donate[d] to us when we were doing our pop-up site. But it’s not that complicated to have a site.” She did agree “some of the stores are so small” that vaccination administration indoors “would be difficult” due to the need for a seating area following a vaccine to “be observed for 15 minutes before they walk away.” Postman said he’d visited a drive through location where “it was just a place to park your car for 15 minutes” and believed there was “a lot of flexibility in setting those things up.”

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