Enforcement — Authority of liquor and cannabis board — Detention to determine identity and age — Inspections — Products injurious to health.
RCW 70.345.160
in effect(1) The board must have, in addition to the board's other powers and authorities, the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter. (2) The board and the board's authorized agents or employees have full power and authority to enter any place of business where vapor products are sold for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. (3)(a) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter, an enforcement officer of the board who has reasonable grounds to believe a person observed by the officer in proximity to a retailer licensee under this chapter and chapter 82.25 RCW who is purchasing, attempting to purchase, or in possession of vapor products is under eighteen years of age, may detain such person in proximity to such retailer for a reasonable period of time and in such a reasonable manner as is necessary to determine the person's true identity and date of birth. Further, vapor products possessed by persons under eighteen years of age are considered contraband and may be seized by an enforcement officer of the board. (b) Any enforcement officer who detains a person for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter and RCW 26.28.080 and 82.24.500 must collect the following information for each fiscal year since 2018: (i) The total number of interactions where an enforcement officer detained a person; (ii) Information on the nature of each interaction, including the duration of the interaction, the justification for the interaction, the number of such persons who were under 18 years of age, the number of such persons who were over 18 but under 21 years of age, and whether any citation or warning was issued; (iii) How many interactions converted to administrative violation notices; and (iv) How many of the interactions and administrative violation notices converted to retailer education and violations. (c) The board must compile the information collected pursuant to (b) of this subsection, along with any associated demographic data in the possession of the board, and conduct a comparative analysis of all interactions of enforcement officers with persons detained for the purpose of enforcing Title 66 RCW and chapter 69.50 RCW into a statewide report and provide the report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2023, and annually thereafter. (d) All enforcement officers of the board who enforce the provisions of this section and will have interactions with persons under the age of 18 years old must begin receiving training from the United States department of justice office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention prior to July 1, 2024. (e) For the purposes of this subsection, "proximity" means 100 feet or less. (4) The board may work with local county health departments or districts and local law enforcement agencies to conduct random, unannounced, inspections to assure compliance. (5) The board, law enforcement, or a local health department may, with parental authorization, include persons under the age of 18 in compliance activities. (6) Upon a determination by the secretary of health or a local health jurisdiction that a vapor product may be injurious to human health or poses a significant risk to public health: (a) The board, in consultation with the department of health and local county health jurisdictions, may cause a vapor product substance or solution sample, purchased or obtained from any vapor product retailer, distributor, or delivery sale licensee, to be analyzed by an analyst appointed or designated by the board; (b) If the analyzed vapor product contains an ingredient, substance, or solution present in quantities injurious to human health or posing a significant risk to public health, as determined by the secretary of health or a local health jurisdiction, the board may suspend the license of the retailer or delivery sale licensee unless the retailer or delivery sale licensee agrees to remove the product from sales; and (c) If upon a finding from the secretary of health or local health jurisdiction that the vapor product poses an injurious risk to public health or significant public health risk, the retailer or delivery sale licensee does not remove the product from sale, the secretary of health or local health officer may file for an injunction in superior court prohibiting the sale or distribution of that specific vapor product substance or solution. (7) Nothing in subsection (6) of this section permits a total ban on the sale or use of vapor products.
(1) The board must have, in addition to the board's other powers and authorities, the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(2) The board and the board's authorized agents or employees have full power and authority to enter any place of business where vapor products are sold for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
(3)(a) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter, an enforcement officer of the board who has reasonable grounds to believe a person observed by the officer in proximity to a retailer licensee under this chapter and chapter 82.25 RCW who is purchasing, attempting to purchase, or in possession of vapor products is under eighteen years of age, may detain such person in proximity to such retailer for a reasonable period of time and in such a reasonable manner as is necessary to determine the person's true identity and date of birth. Further, vapor products possessed by persons under eighteen years of age are considered contraband and may be seized by an enforcement officer of the board.
(b) Any enforcement officer who detains a person for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter and RCW 26.28.080 and 82.24.500 must collect the following information for each fiscal year since 2018:
(i) The total number of interactions where an enforcement officer detained a person;
(ii) Information on the nature of each interaction, including the duration of the interaction, the justification for the interaction, the number of such persons who were under 18 years of age, the number of such persons who were over 18 but under 21 years of age, and whether any citation or warning was issued;
(iii) How many interactions converted to administrative violation notices; and
(iv) How many of the interactions and administrative violation notices converted to retailer education and violations.
(c) The board must compile the information collected pursuant to (b) of this subsection, along with any associated demographic data in the possession of the board, and conduct a comparative analysis of all interactions of enforcement officers with persons detained for the purpose of enforcing Title 66 RCW and chapter 69.50 RCW into a statewide report and provide the report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2023, and annually thereafter.
(d) All enforcement officers of the board who enforce the provisions of this section and will have interactions with persons under the age of 18 years old must begin receiving training from the United States department of justice office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention prior to July 1, 2024.
(e) For the purposes of this subsection, "proximity" means 100 feet or less.
(4) The board may work with local county health departments or districts and local law enforcement agencies to conduct random, unannounced, inspections to assure compliance.
(5) The board, law enforcement, or a local health department may, with parental authorization, include persons under the age of 18 in compliance activities.
(6) Upon a determination by the secretary of health or a local health jurisdiction that a vapor product may be injurious to human health or poses a significant risk to public health:
(a) The board, in consultation with the department of health and local county health jurisdictions, may cause a vapor product substance or solution sample, purchased or obtained from any vapor product retailer, distributor, or delivery sale licensee, to be analyzed by an analyst appointed or designated by the board;
(b) If the analyzed vapor product contains an ingredient, substance, or solution present in quantities injurious to human health or posing a significant risk to public health, as determined by the secretary of health or a local health jurisdiction, the board may suspend the license of the retailer or delivery sale licensee unless the retailer or delivery sale licensee agrees to remove the product from sales; and
(c) If upon a finding from the secretary of health or local health jurisdiction that the vapor product poses an injurious risk to public health or significant public health risk, the retailer or delivery sale licensee does not remove the product from sale, the secretary of health or local health officer may file for an injunction in superior court prohibiting the sale or distribution of that specific vapor product substance or solution.
(7) Nothing in subsection (6) of this section permits a total ban on the sale or use of vapor products.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.345&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026