USA - Washington

The work group discussed the costs and social equity implications of either a new agriculture program for cannabis production, or a “lift and shift” of the existing WSLCB program to WSDA.

The social equity production work group would meet, likely for the last time, before WSLCB staff convened a listen and learn forum on draft rules for the cannabinoid regulation rulemaking project.

The board rejected a petition to make curbside and walk-up cannabis sales permanent, rescinded another interim policy, and heard public remarks - some apparently “not necessarily helpful.”

An expert briefing on social equity programs was a “depressing" preview of challenges any effort to distinguish applicants by race-based criteria would likely face before a “hostile” federal judiciary.

Following introductions, members contemplated how to improve criminal history checks for social equity applicants and prepared to advise regulators to disregard drug offenses broadly.

WSLCB board members would discuss prospective challenges to cannabis social equity programs with a subject matter expert and traffic safety commissioners planned to convene.

The head of the WSDA hemp program presented the basics of hemp harvest reporting, inspections, and remediation before introducing an interim Program Manager.

A new timeline for social equity rules was hypothesized by staff who looked ahead to a plant canopy rule project while responding to an “unprecedented” influx of rulemaking petitions.

Panelists with experience in drug prevention and behavioral science couldn’t reach consensus on the question of what makes cannabinoids impairing during a final dialogue on the topic.

A busy summer week would feature deliberations of a social equity work group, a WSDA hemp program webinar, WSLCB leadership updates, and the WA Impaired Driving Advisory Council (WIDAC).