WA Legislature - Update
(February 7, 2025)

WA Legislature - Update (February 7, 2025) - Takeaways

Perspectives about cannabis were shared during psychedelic substance hearings Thursday, and two new bills were staged for introduction on Friday including an overhaul of WSLCB enforcement priorities.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Friday February 7th, the 26th day of the 2025 regular session.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • On Thursday morning during public hearings on psychedelic substance bills under consideration by members of the Washington State Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee (WA Senate HLTC), prime sponsor Senator Jesse Salomon contrasted his opposition to cannabis and the cannabis sector before advocates from that sector encouraged lawmakers to exclude the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) from being granted any authority to regulate and police Washingtonians’ access to psilocybin products and services.
    • During his introduction to SB 5204 (“Concerning ibogaine-assisted therapy”), Salomon emphasized his confidence in the medical efficacy of ibogaine by contrasting his views about the healing properties of cannabis.  He drew attention to his statements to New York Times journalists comparing cannabis sector advocates to tobacco industry lobbyists (video - TVW).
      • “Lastly, I will say we heard a lot of medical claims about cannabis.  Frankly, I’m skeptical and I was recently quoted in the New York Times criticizing the industry for behaving more like tobacco, Big Tobacco, than - you know, what they claim they would be when, when this was at inception.  And so I’ve often heard pushback saying, ‘Oh, this is just like, this is gonna be just like that,’ right?  I feel differently.  I have very diametric views of these two substances, so I just wanna put that out there.”
      • During the 2024 session, Salomon was the prime sponsor of SB 6220, the senate companion to HB 2320 (“Concerning high THC cannabis products”) sponsored by Representative Lauren Davis which was passed into law.  He offered remarks on initial passage of HB 2320 by the Senate, wishing more was being done to restrict high THC products and promising to revisit the issue (audio - 3m, video - TVW).
    • From the New York Times article:
      • “In statehouses across the country, cannabis lobbyists have successfully resisted additional restrictions, telling lawmakers that further constraints would send consumers to the illegal market and cost states tax revenue. As public health advocates seek greater protections, they are up against an industry that downplays or rejects evidence of harm.
      • “They deny the science,” said State Senator Jesse Salomon of Washington, who for years has seen regulatory bills fail after industry pushback. “They undermine the science. If they can’t deny it, they go around the science.”
    • Raven Co-Owner Micah Sherman, speaking in his personal capacity and signed in “Other,” relayed his understanding that WSLCB staff were unprepared to take on significant new responsibilities envisioned in SB 5201 (“Concerning access to psychedelic substances”) but allegedly could not speak to that concern given stricter controls over lobbying by executive agencies enforced by the new administration of Governor Bob Ferguson.  He emphasized “they’re many years behind on their rulemaking, they have employee retention problems, and they cannot take on this scope.  DOH is more than capable…” (video - TVW).
    • The Cannabis Alliance Executive Director Caitlein Ryan, also signed in as “Other,” began by noting she served on the Washington State Psilocybin Task Force which published a report to the legislature in December 2023.  She offered testimony directly advocating against WSLCB having any role in the regulation of access to psilocybin services given the cumulative experience of licensees, consumers, and patients with the agency’s “over regulation, inequitable licensing, and excessive barriers to access particularly for small businesses and marginalized communities” for more than ten years.  To Salomon’s critique, she pointed out that WSLCB “regulation has shaped the industry in the image of alcohol and tobacco, whereas plant medicine should be a tool for healing and personal transformation that requires a distinct regulatory approach centered on well-being, not control and punishment” (video - TVW).
  • On Friday, a bipartisan bill in the House which aimed to overhaul WSLCB rules and enforcement priorities was staged for introduction; and a new senate companion to WSLCB request legislation seeking access to patient data already had a public hearing scheduled for Monday.
    • HB 1884 - “Concerning cannabis regulation.”
      • WSLCB Enforcement Priorities
      • On Friday, Representative Kevin Waters was prepared to introduce legislation which would call upon the WSLCB to work collaboratively with cannabis sector stakeholders to review rules and significantly revamp enforcement priorities to focus on preventing youth access and inversion/diversion.
      • At publication time, a public hearing on the bill had not been announced.
    • SB 5700 - “Concerning the medical cannabis authorization database.”
    • The draft introduction reports in the House and the Senate for Friday February 7th did not appear to include additional cannabis-related legislation.
  • No cannabis-related bills were scheduled for activity on Friday.
    • On Friday, the House planned to convene a pro forma floor session at 9:55am [ TVW ] and the Senate planned to convene a floor session at 12:30pm [ TVW ].
      • In the House, HB 1066 (WSLCB Data Dashboard) was positioned on the second reading calendar for further action by the chamber, but no legislation would be considered during the pro forma session.