Observations

After months of deliberations, the city council referred three cannabis equity ordinances drafted by staff of the mayor’s office to the Finance and Housing committee for consideration.

Work group members supported an expanded role for WSDA in regulating cannabis production, but only after study and planning around costs and implications for equity in the market.

WSLCB leadership would likely review draft agency request bills on “THC Regulation,” “Social Equity,” and “Subpoena Authority” while home grow was on the agenda at the social equity task force.

After asking several searching questions, the board approved filing proposed social equity rules then heard positive public comments as well as a few claiming obfuscation by board members.

After learning the status of open and upcoming rulemaking as well as several petitions for new projects, board members heard about proposed social equity rules and other agency updates.

A relatively quiet forum produced few remarks or questions on draft changes to cannabis ingredient and processing rules, which aimed to further regulate cannabinoids beyond THC.

WSLCB staff planned to propose revised rules for a social equity retail program the same week Seattle City Council members planned to introduce legislation to address worker and social equity.

The committee heard about a trio of ordinances being drafted by the Seattle Mayor’s office as “first steps” towards changing ownership and worker equity in the city’s cannabis sector.

An expert on cannabis use by young adults provided results for the Washington Young Adult Health Survey before talking through education, prevention, and research topics of concern.

The work group discussed the costs and social equity implications of either a new agriculture program for cannabis production, or a “lift and shift” of the existing WSLCB program to WSDA.