Public health and prevention stakeholders may attend a closed webinar regarding a new budtender training regime devised by youth cannabis prevention officials in the DOH.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday June 23rd
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.
Tuesday June 24th
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.
Wednesday June 25th
DOH YCCTPP - Training - High THC Products
On Wednesday at 10am PT, the Washington State Department of Health Youth Cannabis and Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (DOH YCCTPP) planned to host a closed webinar on their budtender training regime.
- [ Event Details ]
- The DOH YCCTPP coordinates resources towards prevention and cessation of cannabis and commercial tobacco use. Regarding cannabis, staff implement the Washington Recovery Help Line, fund the non-profit Washington Poison Center (WAPC), and distribute local grants while creating prevention and education programming such as media campaigns and outreach to priority populations, including adults within cannabis retail environments.
- In September 2024, DOH YCCTPP staff provided a briefing to legislators on some of the group’s work.
- In mid-June, DOH YCCTPP staff and contractor Rede Group hosted two focus groups with budtenders and retailers as part of the agency response to a provision in the 2024 session law HB 2320 (High THC Products) which read:
- “By July 1, 2025, the department of health must develop an optional training that cannabis retail staff may complete to better understand the health and safety impacts of high THC cannabis products. In developing the optional training, the department of health must consult with cannabis retail staff, cannabis consumers, persons who have been harmed by high THC products, health care providers, prevention professionals, researchers with relevant expertise, behavioral health providers, and representatives of licensed cannabis businesses.”
- Learn more about DOH YCCTPP and the Rede Group.
- As Cannabis Observer would not have been allowed to participate, we spoke to attendees and obtained an outline of the four modules envisioned as composing the training program at the time of the focus groups.
- Attendees noted that one of the first questions asked of participants was how they would define “high THC products.” Responses varied significantly considering factors such as the uniqueness of each person’s endocannabinoid system, tolerance, experience, whether one was a patient, etc. Rede Group President Robb Hutson, who facilitated the focus groups, was in turn asked by participants about the definition his group was operating on. He acknowledged there was no statutory nor administrative definition of the term, yet his firm was required to use the phrase in the training materials.
- All participants whom Cannabis Observer spoke to acknowledged the training outline’s emphasis on asserted risks and potential harms of cannabis use, which they felt could have been balanced with discussion of potential benefits identified by evidence-based, peer-reviewed research. While one of four modules allegedly aimed to “destigmatize cannabis use,” participants felt the opposite was true, and that the fearful tone evident in the training materials would not help retail employees guide consumers towards responsible and safe cannabis use.
- When asked if they would use the training regime, participants were not enthusiastic about the prospect. Several participants indicated they didn’t feel like the Rede Group had really listened to their responses, but were just going through the motions to check a box and claim the “Cannabis industry” had been consulted - as required in statute.
- As the four training modules already appeared complete when the focus groups were hosted three weeks before the deadline to produce and distribute an hour of video content, participant skepticism was bolstered.
- Around the same time that the focus groups were announced, the Rede Group announced their intention to subsequently host a closed training program for public health and prevention community stakeholders offering a “Preview of high-THC training for retail cannabis workers (budtenders): What you need to know and how you can help.”
- Per the DOH YCCTPP and Rede Group policy regarding their training webinars, "These sessions are for the YCCTPP, as well as other DOH contractors, subcontractors, and partners, including prevention and research partners. It is not open to anyone from the Cannabis industry."
- After the budtender focus group, the follow-up training webinar originally scheduled for Wednesday June 18th was rescheduled to this Wednesday for undisclosed reasons.
- The optional training regime must be made available to cannabis retailers and their employees by July 1st.
- It’s Cannabis Observer’s understanding that the training would be made freely available online as a series of four 15-minute videos.
Thursday June 26th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.
Friday June 27th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were planned.