A quiet week for cannabis-related policymaking events created space for thoughtful public outreach by members of the University of Washington Center for Cannabis Research.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday April 4th
UW CCR - Webinar - Optimizing the Medical Properties of Cannabis
On Monday at 12pm PT, the University of Washington Center for Cannabis Research (UW CCR) planned to host a webinar titled, “Optimizing the Medical Properties of Cannabis.”
- [ Event Details ]
- The UW CCR was created in 2017 as a coordinated and centralized effort for Cannabis research across disciplines. Its mission is to foster innovation in Cannabis research and solidify science to address pressing Cannabis-related questions.
- Monday’s webinar would be presented by Nephi Stella, the UW CCR Director and the Principal Investigator of the Stella Lab at the UW Medical School.
- Stella had been asked to testify to the Washington State Legislature on cannabis research, and was one of five panelists invited to participate in the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Deliberative Dialogues on Cannabis Plant Chemistry in June and July 2021. Stella also contributed a summary of research on the “Impact of Cannabis Use and Potency during Adolescence” as part of the fall 2020 “Consensus Statement” organized by his UW colleague Bia Carlini.
- More recently, Stella was the lead author of “Frameworks for Future Cannabis Research,” a legislative report authorized by a 2020 operating budget proviso and completed in December 2021 in coordination with the Washington State University Center for Cannabis Policy, Research, and Outreach (WSU CCPRO). The report asserted that, “To date, we lack a fundamental understanding of the amount and regimen of THC use that leads to 1] the increase incidence of psychosis in adolescents and adults, and 2] behavioral impairment in adolescents and adults. As a result, we still do not know the short- and long-term public health, social, and economic impacts of high potency THC Cannabis use.”
- Stella’s research interests include “how to optimize the therapeutic value of cannabinoid-based molecules (i.e., phyto-cannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids and endocannabinoid signaling) for the treatment of devastating neurological diseases, including epilepsy, chronic pain, addictive behaviors, and brain tumors.”
Tuesday April 5th
WSLCB - Board Caucus
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
Wednesday April 6th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Thursday April 7th
WA SECTF - Work Group - Licensing - Public Meeting
The next meeting of the Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis Licensing Work Group was cancelled.
- [ Event Details ]
- The Licensing Work Group last met on March 17th to hear a Denver cannabis club owner and Bailey Hirschburg share ideas and policies on social use of cannabis before the group discussed what might work in Washington. Members were next scheduled to meet on April 21st.
- The WA SECTF Community Reinvestment and Workforce Training Work Group was next scheduled to meet on April 14th following the cancellation of two meetings in March. At publication time, three of the last four WA SECTF work group meetings had been cancelled.
- The full WA SECTF last met on January 24th near the beginning of the legislative session and was next scheduled to convene on April 26th.
Friday April 8th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
2022 WA Legislative Session
The short session of the 2021-22 biennium began on January 10th and ended on March 10th.
- Inactive cannabis-related bills from 2021 were renewed in their house of origin and the House and Senate convened public hearings during the first three weeks of the short session.
- February 3rd was the first deadline for bills to be recommended out of their house of origin policy committees, followed shortly by a second deadline on February 7th for house of origin fiscal committees to complete their initial work. Legislators and staff heard, amended, and pushed legislation through in advance of the third deadline for (most!) bills to be passed out of their chamber of origin on February 15th at 5pm PT.
- At the turning point, policy committees took up remaining bills ahead of the February 24th opposite house policy committee cutoff. Fiscal committees began to work budgets before having to move bills over the weekend in advance of the Monday February 28th opposite house fiscal committee cutoff. And Friday March 4th at 5pm PT occasioned the sixth deadline for (most!) bills to be passed by the opposite chamber.
- In the final week of the short session, legislators devoted the majority of their time to floor debate and negotiation between the chambers. However, some time was spent in last-minute committee hearings and executive sessions to move bills. Sine die, the last day of session, occurred on Thursday March 10th.
- Washington State Governor Jay Inslee took formal action on very few bills during the session. For legislation received by his office within five days of the end of session, he could sign or partially veto it before it becomes law, or veto it altogether, within 20 days following the end of session.
Cannabis-Related Law (3)
HB 1210 - “Replacing the term ‘marijuana’ with the term ‘cannabis’ throughout the Revised Code of Washington.”
- [ Legislation ]
- 🌱⚖️ ‘marijuana’ to ‘cannabis’
- Sponsors (14): Melanie Morgan, et al
- Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 7)
- Last Step: signed by WA Governor (Mar 11)
- Effective: June 9, 2022; except sections 7, 51, and 116, which take effect July 1, 2022; and additional sections with later effective dates
HB 1859 - “Concerning quality standards for laboratories conducting cannabis analysis.”
- [ Legislation ]
- 🔬 Cannabis Testing Labs; WSDA/WSLCB request legislation to shift regulation of labs to the department of agriculture; creation of Interagency Coordination Team (ICT) w/ department of health (DOH)
- Requested By: WSDA, WSLCB
- Sponsors (4): Shelley Kloba, Kelly Chambers, et al
- Companion: SB 5699 (inactive)
- Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 10)
- Last Step: bill action by WA Governor (Mar 24)
- Effective: June 9, 2022
SB 5796 - “Restructuring cannabis revenue appropriations.”
- [ Legislation ]
- 💸 Revision of Cannabis Tax Revenue Appropriations; where the money goes
- Sponsors (5): Rebecca Saldaña, et al
- Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 11)
- Last Step: bill action by WA Governor (Mar 24)
- Effective: June 9, 2022
Budget-Related Legislation - Passed Legislature (1)
SB 5693 - “Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”
- [ Legislation ]
- 💸 Operating Budget Changes; where the money goes
- Sponsors (3): Christine Rolfes, Linda Wilson, et al
- Companion: HB 1816 (divergent)
- Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 11)
- Next Step: bill action by WA Governor