Mystery shopper assessments of cannabis retailer practices and regulatory compliance in five U.S. states, 2025

Fuente: PubMed "Cannabis"
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2026 May 26;285:113218. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113218. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: This study used mystery shoppers to assess cannabis retail practices in 5 US states regulating legal nonmedical cannabis retail.METHODS: This mystery shopper study assessed 130 cannabis retailers in 5 cities (Los Angeles [LA], California; Las Vegas [LV], Nevada; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington) in summer 2025. Researchers recorded: 1) age verification; and 2) retail staff responses to inquiries about: a) use for anxiety, sleep, pregnancy-related nausea, etc.; b) use-related risks/cautions; c) interstate cannabis transport; and d) availability of derived intoxicating cannabis products (DICPs) and 'mushrooms' (psilocybin).RESULTS: Mystery shoppers were asked for ID at 87.7% of retailers. When asked, most (>88%) retail staff responded that cannabis helps with anxiety and insomnia. While 40.8% warned against use for pregnancy-related nausea, 36.2% suggested it helps and 24.6% said it depends on the person/situation. Over half (58.5%) warned against driving post-use, but 50.0% said it depends (on person/situation). When asked about interstate transport, several indicated not to (42.3%) and/or it was illegal (39.2%); however, 44.6% indicated ways to pack cannabis to be undetectable, and 27.7% said not to worry about getting caught. Retail staff generally indicated DICPs are not as safe as delta-9 THC (27.7%) or are illegal (20.0%). The majority said mushrooms were illegal (67.7%), but 53.8% indicated they were easy to obtain, and 29.2% suggested their mental health benefits.CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis retailer frequently made prohibited health claims and minimized risks, reinforcing public health concerns and the need for ongoing cannabis retail surveillance and stronger regulatory oversight and enforcement.PMID:42224931 | DOI:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113218