Observations

WSLCB Cannabinoid Science Work Group members would be asked to help quantify the legislative mandate to ban products outside 502 containing “any detectable amount of THC.”

Rulemaking to implement alcohol legislation included a cannabis-related bill; public commenters gave input on cannabis traceability and called for more updates about environmental pesticides.

Several stakeholders introduced themselves and started to network around increasing the capacity of the state to produce and process hemp into construction materials.

With the end of their legislative mandate weeks away, members searched for a path forward to advise on regulation of hemp consumables after a THC regulatory bill was signed into law.

The WSLCB Board planned to convene and initiate rulemaking on 2023 legislation prohibiting consumable products that contain “cannabis or any form of THC and alcohol.”

The capital budget included $5M for soil cleanup added late in the process in order to help agricultural sectors—including cannabis licensees—in north central Washington.

Legislators struck and passed pre-negotiated legislation reframing the relation of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems to substance use issues which the Governor signed the same day.

The Governor provided insights about the revised “Blake fix” ahead of its release on Monday afternoon, prior to the convening of the first special session of the 68th Legislature.

As finishing touches were made to wrap up 2023 regular session legislation, lawmakers would reconvene in special session to redress the State v. Blake decision and consequences.

Reporting touched on why Licensing staff were “hands off” in the new phase of social equity applications, relocating producers over environmental pesticide concerns, and other updates.