Mayor Bowser Announces Legislation to Diversify the Medical Cannabis Market with Local Beverage Partnerships

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the introduction of the Medical Cannabis Beverage Product Amendment Act of 2026, a landmark bill designed to foster collaboration between DC's medical cannabis and alcohol manufacturing industries. The legislation establishes a legal framework for local breweries and distilleries to partner with licensed medical cannabis manufacturers to produce cannabis-infused, alcohol-free beverages, providing economic opportunity for District businesses and increasing options for medical cannabis patients.

"This is an opportunity to support two local industries and to keep business in DC," said Mayor Bowser. "We have fantastic local brewers and distillers in our city, we have a robust medical cannabis market, and this is a new opportunity for those two markets to collaborate and create a safe and smoke-free alternative for patients in DC."

The legislation works to solve manufacturing challenges for the medical cannabis industry while providing an additional revenue stream for DC's local craft beverage producers. By utilizing the existing local bottling infrastructure, DC will expand the available smoke-free therapeutic options for medical cannabis patients, provide an additional revenue stream for local industry, and continue growing the District's economy.

"It makes sense to allow partnerships between the District's medical cannabis and alcohol manufacturing industries to produce medical cannabis beverages," said Fred Moosally,Director of the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration. "Providing a legal pathway for our local breweries and distilleries to utilize their expertise in beverage production is the logical next step in maturing DC's medical cannabis marketplace and supporting our local business ecosystem."

Key provisions of the Medical Cannabis Beverage Product Amendment Act of 2026 include:

• Strategic Partnerships: Allowing licensed medical cannabis manufacturers to partner with local breweries and distilleries for beverage production.
• Production Endorsements: Establishing a license endorsement for breweries and distilleries to manufacture cannabis-infused products.
• Enhanced Supply Chain: Introducing a license endorsement for medical cannabis manufacturers to import non-intoxicating cannabinoids for production use.
• Strict Safety Standards: Requiring all beverages to undergo mandatory testing by a DC-licensed laboratory before retail distribution.

To ensure public safety, the legislation maintains strict limitations: all medical cannabis beverages must be alcohol-free, and sales remain restricted to licensed medical cannabis retailers for registered medical cannabis patients only. Direct sales from breweries, distilleries, or traditional retail outlets like grocery stores, restaurants, and bars are strictly prohibited.

Read the Medical Cannabis Beverage Product Amendment Act of 2026.

Read the legislation fact sheet.

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