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“Joint for jabs” says the US state of Washington to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated against coronavirus as inoculation rates have continued to decline.
Since the rate of inoculations have slowed down all over the country, American states have come up with innovative bids.
The northwestern state had legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. Cannabis dispensaries will be allowed to offer one free, pre-rolled joint to people aged 21 or above, only after they get vaccinated at an in-store clinic.
According to recent figures reported by the health department, over a half of Washington state adults (54 percent) have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.
The state’s temporary “joint for jabs” exemption requested by cannabis retailers will run till July 12. The participation will be optional for each vendor.
In May, the Washington state had permitted bars and liquor licensees to provide one free alcoholic drink to adults, if they receive their vaccine doses within a six-week ‘window’.
States like California and Ohio have organized vaccine lotteries that offers either cash prizes or college scholarships to randomly selected vaccine recipients. Other inducements used as a bait to get more individuals vaccinated include free sports tickets, airline flights and beers. An Arizona cannabis dispensary offered free products to the ones vaccinated.
According to the latest data by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the current figure of American adults who have received at least one vaccine shot is 63.7 percent. President Joe Biden has set a target of inoculating at least 70 percent of them by the country’s independence day, July 4.