In 2025, the Memorial Day federal holiday provoked complicated feelings within and amongst Americans before a slow week for cannabis policymaking in Washington state.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday May 26th
The State of Washington recognizes the Memorial Day federal holiday.
- Memorial Day was conceived as a holiday to honor and mourn military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, springing from a tradition of annually remembering the fallen soldiers of the American Civil War, “to wreathe the graves of our martyred dead with flowers.”
- At publication time, the systemic failure to help veterans access the medical benefits of cannabis remained an on-going American tragedy.
- The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (US VA) continued to describe their cannabis policy as follows: “Veterans should know that federal law classifies marijuana as a Schedule One Controlled Substance. This makes it illegal in the eyes of the federal government. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is required to follow all federal laws including those regarding marijuana. As long as the Food and Drug Administration classifies marijuana as Schedule I VA health care providers may not recommend it or assist Veterans to obtain it.”
- In Washington state, citizens including veterans can seek authorization as medical cannabis patients if they are diagnosed with a "Terminal or debilitating medical condition" as defined in RCW 69.51A.010(24) to include cancer, “intractable pain,” post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or other delineated conditions.
- Infamously, President Donald Trump had become known for making derogatory and disparaging remarks about living, wounded, and dead American military service members.
- Trump, who received four student deferments from service in Vietnam before graduating and receiving a medical deferment over claimed bone spurs, was said to have “believed people who served in the Vietnam War must be “losers” because they hadn’t gotten out of it, according to a person familiar with the comments.”
- The Air Force Times reported, “...Trump did not want to be photographed in public with military amputees, with the…president reportedly saying, ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’”
- In declining to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery at Bellau Wood in France, Trump was reported to have said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers” before referring to the more than 1,800 United States Marines who lost their lives in the World War I battle as “suckers.”
- Ahead of the November 2024 elections, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), which counted more than 30K veterans as members, offered a warning that “Project 2025 would cut benefits for disabled Veterans, reducing the number of medical conditions that qualify for disability status. It would also automate all disability claims, making it easier to increase denial rates. The Veterans Administration (VA) health system is also targeted by Project 2025. It plans to eliminate VA hospitals and health clinics and replace them with privatized outpatient clinics. This would have an especially considerable impact on Veterans living in rural areas. Project 2025 even calls for the privatization of TRICARE, the active duty service members (ADSMs) health system, threatening to drive up health care costs for millions of servicemembers and their families.”
- On May 6th, the journalists at ProPublica published an investigation titled, “Internal VA Emails Reveal How Trump Cuts Jeopardize Veterans’ Care, Including To ‘Life-Saving Cancer Trials’” which outlined how the “VA provides health care to roughly 9 million veterans” whereas “the administration has said it plans to eliminate at least 70,000 [employees] through layoffs and voluntary buyouts within the coming months. The agency, which is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., currently has nearly 500,000 employees, most of whom work in one of the VA’s 170 hospitals and nearly 1,200 clinics.”
- Three days later on May 9th, President Donald Trump issued an executive order establishing the “National Center for Warrior Independence” in Los Angeles to assist houseless veterans, noting, “Funds previously spent on housing or other services for illegal aliens will be redirected to construct, establish, and maintain this Center.”
- Earlier in March, a United States Marine veteran and US citizen at the age of three who was not effectively treated for TBI and PTSD by the US VA was deported by the Trump Administration to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador in violation of the Constitutional privilege to the writ of habeas corpus.
- On Tuesday May 20th, the Director of the United States Department of Homeland Security incorrectly described habeas corpus as “a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.”
- Also on Tuesday May 20th, a United States Air Force veteran detained in Venezuela was released. The Associated Press reported the soldier “had traveled to South America to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.”
- Memorial Day observances would take place around the country on Monday. The US VA noted four events planned around Washington state.
Tuesday May 27th
WSLCB - Board Caucus
The weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was cancelled.
- [ Event Details ]
- In keeping with “Board Efficiencies” implemented in March, the weekly board caucus cadence was changed to every other week and 25 public meetings planned for the calendar year were cancelled.
WA HCA - DBHR Listening Session
On Tuesday at 1:30pm PT, the monthly Washington State Health Care Authority (WA HCA) Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) Behavioral Health Service Provider Listening Session was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- According to the announcement, the agenda included:
- “DBHR section updates
- “Legislative budget and updates
- “The Spring Health Workforce Sentinel Network”
Wednesday May 28th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.
Thursday May 29th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.
Friday May 30th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.