The Need for Trusted Age Verification For Cannabis Sales

Recreational cannabis or marijuana use is legal across 18 states in the USA. Although some people disagree with its legitimization, controlling the distribution of cannabis has its advantages. Notably, it can limit or restrict the possession and use of cannabis drugs in underaged individuals.

In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that 37% of high school students in the US have tried using marijuana. Cannabis use among minors, especially teens, has been linked to several mental health issues. Adverse effects of marijuana among teens include difficulty in thinking and problem solving, depression, social anxiety, and addiction. 

The youth’s brain is said to be actively developing until the age of 25. Marijuana use might have permanent negative effects on their maturing brains, especially if they start smoking it during adolescence at regular or heavy doses. Policies regulating cannabis use aim to avoid these unfavorable consequences by controlling its distribution.

The law only allows persons aged 21 and above to own up to three ounces of cannabis for recreational use. Different regulatory agencies in regulating states oversee the sale and distribution of marijuana and penalize sellers for not enforcing marijuana restrictions.

This places a great responsibility on cannabis sellers, especially now that it is easy to evade the age restriction on digital platforms. Traditionally, online stores simply ask for the customer’s birth date or age without further verification. Sellers need to step up their age confirmation checks to detect underaged individuals trying to acquire cannabis.

Products like Proof™ by authID provide online cannabis sellers with ID authentication, anti-spoofing liveness detection, and biometric digital identity verification capabilities. With this technology, the sale of age-restricted products on digital platforms is more regulatory-compliant.

Read further about cannabis sales age verification and identity authentication solutions in an infographic by authID.