As the WSLCB Board recovered time lost to illness, Traffic Safety Commission members would consider survey data on driving behaviors, including perceptions of “drug influenced” drivers.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday October 16th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Tuesday October 17th
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 ]
- The Tuesday October 10th Board Caucus was cancelled within an hour of the meeting start time. One board member was ill and another was traveling.
- Agency staff had scheduled an hour-long presentation and discussion with R.S. Dow Neuroscience Laboratories Assistant Scientist Adie Ray on "Market Factors for Recreational and Medical Cannabis Consumers."
- Director of Policy and External Affairs Justin Nordhorn previously mentioned the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) “medical cannabis committee” had heard from “a researcher out of Oregon” on the medical cannabis market, as well as cannabis consumers more broadly. The data pertained to how consumers “prioritize how they picked product. What makes a good product for them, and how that drives some of the market forces,” he said. Acknowledging officials’ concerns over a “trend of high THC” products, Nordhorn told the group the presentation showed multi-state “indications that there are other factors that are actually more important than that.” Nordhorn concluded by saying he’d “reached out to her to see if she might be willing to come to a board caucus and present because I think that would be really interesting” (audio - 2m, Video - TVW, Video - WSLCB).
- It was Cannabis Observer’s understanding that the Board planned to reschedule time with Ray.
- On Wednesday October 11th, Board Member Vollendroff acted as interim Chair and was joined by Board Member Ollie Garrett at their bi-weekly board meeting where staff presented a brief rulemaking update and detailed a revised process for reviewing petitions before presenting a batch tracking request. Then, members listened to supportive and accusatory general public comments.
- The monthly Executive Management Team meeting scheduled for later in the afternoon on Wednesday October 11th was also cancelled, but no indication had been given that it would be rescheduled.
Wednesday October 18th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Thursday October 19th
WTSC - Commission Meeting
On Thursday at 10am PT, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) was scheduled to convene its quarterly meeting.
- [ Event Details ]
- The WTSC last convened on July 20th.
- On Thursday, Research Director Staci Hoff was scheduled to present for 45 minutes on “Statewide Survey Results and Next Steps.”
- The prior week on Thursday October 12th, Hoff previewed the Traffic Safety Statewide Survey results at the quarterly meeting of the Washington Impaired Driving Advisory Council (WIDAC). The survey of roughly 10K Washington residents commissioned by WTSC and conducted annually by third parties sought to gather data on individual driving behaviors and perceptions of the driving behaviors of others, including “drug influenced” driving.
- It’s Cannabis Observer’s understanding that WTSC staff planned to release the survey results and underlying data earlier in the week on the WTSC website.
- WSLCB Public Health Education Liaison Mary Segawa was a regular attendee of WIDAC meetings, and announced the October 12th gathering would be her last to much appreciation from the group. She also announced her replacement at WSLCB had been hired: DOH Health Education Supervisor Kristen Haley, scheduled to start November 1st.
- Haley was also a longtime board member of the Pacific Northwest Social Marketing Association, where her biography stated: “Kristen Haley has utilized social marketing to improve public health since graduating with her BS in Community Health Education from Western Washington University in 2011. She has worked at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) since 2014. As a Health Educator, she has managed more than a dozen social marketing campaigns on the topics of marijuana prevention, EVALI, and COVID-19. In her current role, Kristen now manages all statewide public health campaigns for DOH and uses this position to integrate social marketing into her institution. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Pacific Northwest Social Marketing Association since 2016 and has been Secretary for the Board since 2017. Kristen believes in the power of social marketing to change behaviors and to promote healthy and safe communities.”
Friday October 20th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.