What must a retail licensee do before making a sale to a customer?

Before making a sale to a customer, a retail licensee is required to verify the age of every customer. This is crucial in the context of cannabis sales, as there are strict legal restrictions regarding the sale of marijuana products to minors. The law mandates that individuals must be at least 21 years of age to purchase recreational cannabis products and 18 years for medical marijuana, making it imperative for retailers to confirm the age of each customer to remain compliant with state regulations.

This age verification ensures that retail operations are responsible and that sales are conducted in adherence to the law, thereby promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for adult consumers. It protects both the consumer and the retailer from potential legal issues that could arise from selling to underage individuals.

While verifying the customer's ability to pay is important for operational reasons, it is not specifically mandated by law in the context of cannabis sales. Checking for valid identification is part of verifying age, but simply checking the ID is not sufficient. It is necessary to ensure the age matches legal requirements. Conducting a background check, on the other hand, is not a requirement for completing a sale and is generally beyond the standard practices expected at the retail level.