States that Require/Recommend Cannabis Exit Bags

In the cannabis industry, cannabis exit bags are a term that has gained more exposure lately. According to the Council on Responsible Cannabis Regulation’s Regulatory Recommendations for States and Nations for Cannabis Packaging and Labeling, an exit bag is a child-resistant, opaque, sealed container provided at the point of sale in which any cannabis products already in non-child resistant packaging is placed prior to exiting from a licensed dispensary. Some dispensaries are utilizing these bags for all purchases as a way to streamline the buying process and advertise their company via custom exit bags.

Often states alternate between requiring all products being in child-resistant packaging completely, or pairing products lacking child resistant packaging with an exit bag requirement. Exceptions are sometimes allowed via written requests from an elderly or disabled person, as long as the request is kept on file at the dispensary and the package is clearly marked as not friendly to a household with at least one child. An aspect of this stipulation is the fine line that makes exit bags child proof but still accessible to those with disabilities or a failing range of movement.

The U.S. Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) of 1970 defines child resistant packaging as containment that is “Significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open or obtain a toxic or harmful amount of the substance contained therein within a reasonable time and not difficult for normal adults to use properly.” The risk associated with children’s accidental ingestion of hazardous materials has long influenced research and innovation in package design in order to create protective solutions. Child resistant packaging is a “special packaging solution,” which results in inaccessibility of contents by kids under the age of 52 months. Accidental drug ingestion cases in this age rage are nearly 45% of reported cases.

One concern of exit bags are their potential for generating pollution. The same previously mentioned regulations from the Council on Responsible Cannabis Regulation include survey results; one survey notes the majority of respondents thought consumer exit bags should be reusable, provided the exit bag is in sanitary condition. The most commonly supported bag for reuse was flower product packaging. It is essential to curtail pollution through reuse, but also by supporting manufacturers and retailers of earth-responsible packaging.

A dominant requirement all cannabis purchases are opaque containers. Other states that have regulations around cannabis exit bags include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington D.C. Other common requirements include not appealing to children via cartoon characters or whimsical fonts. It is important to remember, no matter the law, constant supervision is a must when children are around cannabis products of any form.

As in every other aspect of cannabis regulation, legislation is in constant motion. On Jan. 1, 2020, California changed state law to remove the requirement of exit bags child proof and resealable, in favor of cannabis packaging itself to meet those standards. More recently, in Oregon rules changed to lessen childproofed packaging: “Usable marijuana and hemp (including plain pre-rolls) are no longer required to be in child resistant packaging before leaving a retailer.”

Dispensaries in states still requiring exit bags that are opaque and child resistant have the cost-reducing option of combining the expense of wholesale exit bags with a part of their advertising budget. High quality packaging companies often provide a custom exit bags option that is made to spec, does not use plates and features a low minimum purchase. Many dispensaries build in the cost of exit bag requirements into their prices for cannabis products. Some prices range from 56 cents after tax for an exit bag, to $1-$5 for each bag used, often as an incentive to reuse the originally provided bag.

Those looking for wholesale exit bags need to look no further than HISIERRA, a one-stop shop for sustainable earth-friendly, USA-made cannabis exit bags wholesale developed and manufactured by industry experts who are in the know. Their goal is to make the cannabis world a greener place by providing products to enhance eco-friendly messaging, and preserve goods via certified safe and child resistant packaging solutions. HISIERRA is the only third-party CR certified child resistant exit bag made from renewable and sustainable plant-based (sugarcane) raw materials and manufactured in a clean and green renewable energy, wind powered LEED™ certified factory located in the heartland of America. Learn more about our OG Exit Bags, custom exit bags, pricing and more.