Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing legislation that would expand Washington, D.C.’s medical cannabis program to include cannabis-infused beverages produced in partnership with local breweries and distilleries.
The bill would create a new endorsement allowing licensed alcohol manufacturers to work with medical cannabis businesses to produce non-alcoholic THC beverages. The intent is to use existing beverage production infrastructure to support the development of infused drink products within the regulated cannabis system.
Under the proposal, cannabis beverages would be sold through the District’s medical cannabis program rather than through traditional alcohol-serving venues. The measure would also require approval from the D.C. Council before it can take effect.
Grace Hyde, who told Washington City Paper, said competition from nearby adult-use states is putting pressure on the District’s medical cannabis market. “I think that we’re in this position right now where any little incremental improvement is desperately needed,” she told City Paper. “Obviously, [the D.C. government] is prohibited from doing what we actually need, which is recreational sales.”
If adopted, the legislation would create a new category of cannabis product in the District’s medical market, linking cannabis operators with established beverage producers.
