The WSLCB Board was scheduled to hear a presentation on the first written briefs from the Research Program reviewing academic literature on cannabis product flavors and youth appeal.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday August 19th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Tuesday August 20th
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 ]
- According to WSLCB staff during the Tuesday August 13th Board Caucus, a flurry of petitions and rulemaking projects would be moved ahead with public hearings and presentations to board members in the coming months.
- During the Executive Management Team meeting on Wednesday August 14th, Director of Policy and External Affairs Justin Nordhorn mentioned that Research Program staff had been working on three literature review briefs (audio - 1m, video - WSLCB, video - TVW). The subjects covered were described as:
- “alcohol outlet density”
- In September 2023, Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) researchers published a report creating a measure of licensed cannabis retail outlet density and then correlated proximity to substance abuse disorder diagnoses, fatal traffic incidents, and high school outcomes. The WSIPP measure of cannabis outlet density did not incorporate licensed tribal retailers, local hemp product availability, nor online hemp product sales with interstate postal delivery.
- “flavored cannabis vape products”
- RCW 69.50.327, legislated in 2020 in the wake of the VapeGate health scare associated with diluents rather than flavor additives, proscribes the flavors allowed in regulated cannabis products in Washington state by specifying that “cannabis processors may incorporate in cannabis vapor products a characterizing flavor if the characterizing flavor is derived from botanical terpenes naturally occurring in the cannabis plant, regardless of source, and if the characterizing flavor mimics the terpene profile found in a cannabis plant.”
- “cannabis packaging youth appeal”
- WAC 314-55-155 specifies that regulated cannabis products in Washington state “must not contain any statement, or illustration that…(iv) Depicts a child or other person under legal age to consume cannabis, or includes:
- “(A) The use of objects, such as toys, inflatables, movie characters, cartoon characters suggesting the presence of a child, or any other depiction or image designed in any manner to be likely to be appealing to youth or especially appealing to children or other persons under legal age to consume cannabis; or
- “(B) Is designed in any manner that would be especially appealing to children or other persons under 21 years of age.”
- WAC 314-55-155 specifies that regulated cannabis products in Washington state “must not contain any statement, or illustration that…(iv) Depicts a child or other person under legal age to consume cannabis, or includes:
- Board Chair David Postman confirmed members had received the briefs on the day of the EMT and had scheduled a public review during the caucus on Tuesday.
- “alcohol outlet density”
Wednesday August 21st
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Thursday August 22nd
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Friday August 23rd
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.