<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr">Courtesy of the <i>New York</i> Times at:<div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/us/washington-marijuana-covid-vaccine.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/us/washington-marijuana-covid-vaccine.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>—————————————————</div><div><br></div><div><h1 class="css-ymxi58 e1h9rw200" data-test-id="headline" style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-family: nyt-cheltenham, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 2.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 3rem; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(18, 18, 18); width: 600px; max-width: 600px;">Washington State allows for free marijuana joints with Covid-19 vaccine.</h1></div><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">As part of its strategy to vaccinate more of its population, Washington State will allow adults to claim a free marijuana joint when they receive a Covid-19 vaccination shot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The state’s liquor and cannabis board announced on Monday that the promotion, called “Joints for Jabs,” was effective immediately and would run through July 12.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The board said it would allow participating marijuana retailers to provide customers who are 21 or older with a prerolled joint at their stores when they received their first or second dose at an active vaccine clinic. The promotion applies only to joints, not to other products like edibles.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">So far in Washington, 58 percent of people have received at least one dose, and 49 percent are fully vaccinated, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">New York Times database</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Washington is not the only state to offer a cannabis promotion. An Arizona dispensary <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2021/06/02/free-marijuana-dispensary-coronavirus-vaccine/7492574002/" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">recently announced a similar campaign</span></a>, providing free marijuana joints or gummy edibles to Arizonans 21 and older who receive a vaccination.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Washington’s liquor and cannabis board <a href="https://lcb.wa.gov/pressreleases/lcb-provides-licensees-option-for-customers-with-proof-of-vaccination" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">recently allowed for a free beer</span></a>, wine or cocktail to residents with proof of vaccination.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Since the U.S. pace of vaccinations began to decline sharply in mid-April, states and cities have started promotions like <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMurphy/status/1389269510612467716?s=20" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">free beer in New Jersey</span></a> and a raffle to win <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/nyregion/new-york-covid-vaccine-college.html"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">full-ride college scholarships in New York</span></a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/us/coronavirus-ohio-lottery-vax-a-million.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Ohio</span></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Several <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/us/covid-vaccine-lottery-california.html"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">states</span></a> have held lotteries awarding cash prizes of $1 million or more.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Andy Slavitt, a White House virus adviser, has said the Biden administration was encouraging states to be creative — including through lotteries or other financial incentives — to get people vaccinated. The federal government <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SLFRPFAQ.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">is allowing states to use</span></a>certain federal relief funds to pay for those types of programs.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br></div>—————————————————<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/">http://www.tomandrodna.com/moscowcares</a></div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</div><div>- Roy E. Stolworthy</div></div><div></div></div></div></body></html>