The Week Ahead
(September 9, 2019)

A new Traceability Data Sharing Agreement Work Group convenes, the lege asks for a marijuana update, and the Board confronts an emergent public health crisis attributed to vaping.

Here’s a look at the week ahead.

TODAY: On Monday September 9th at 2pm PT @ WSLCB, the new Traceability Integration Data Sharing Agreement Work Group convenes for the first of four scheduled meetings. The purpose of the small external work group was defined in the project charter: “Develop and implement an approved Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) that aligns with state data management, security, and architectural standards; communication of need and purpose; breach triggers; breach proceesings[sic]; audit provisions.” As the WSLCB does not currently license nor have other binding legal arrangements with third-party software providers who interface to the traceability system, the agency does not have authority or leverage to compel software integrators towards particular ends. The WSLCB intends the DSA to be a legal instrument which defines requirements for vendors handling traceability data as well as consequences in the event those requirements are not met. Long planned, the work group’s commencement was delayed as the agency struggled towards deployment of release 1.37.5 of MJ Freeway’s Leaf Data Systems.

TUESDAY: On Tuesday September 10th at 10am PT @ WSLCB, the weekly Board Caucus recurs [ agenda ]. During last Wednesday’s Executive Management Team (EMT) meeting, the Board discussed their reactions to federal warnings about correlated health impacts attributed to vaping and indicated they would take up the discussion anew at Tuesday’s Board Caucus. On Friday September 6th, the Washington State Department of Health released a blog post stating “no cases have been reported in Washington state to date.” Also on Friday, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois issued a strongly worded letter to FDA Acting Commissioner Norman Sharpless about the agency’s inaction “over the past ten years to properly regulate e-cigarettes and the accompanying kid-friendly flavors” and called for “decisive action in the next ten days” or “you should resign your post.” David Downs at Leafly has the most well researched coverage of new additives and diluents that are emerging as likely cause(s) of five deaths and 450 possible cases of severe respiratory illness around the country.

WEDNESDAY: On Wednesday September 11th at 1:30pm PT @ WSLCB, the three-member Board and agency leadership convene their weekly EMT meeting.

THURSDAY: On Thursday September 12th, the WSLCB Marijuana Traceability Project (MTP) Advisory Committee Meeting, normally scheduled for second Thursdays, has been rescheduled for Thursday September 19th.

On Thursday September 12th at 1:30pm PT @ House Hearing Room C in the John L. O’Brien Building on the state capitol campus, the Washington State House Commerce and Gaming Committee (COG) hosts a cannabis-focused work session [ documents, TVW ].  Committee members planned to hear from invited industry representatives, regulators, and academic researchers on two subjects: “Status of the Marijuana Industry and Market” and “Marijuana-Related Research in Washington State.”

Last November, the COG committee also prepared for the legislative session by inviting the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA), the Cannabis Alliance, and the WSLCB to provide testimony and answer questions about the “Status of the marijuana industry in Washington, including the implementation of the new traceability system.” Most of the themes presented by panelists in 2018 remain open challenges today.

Cannabis Observer has created and will maintain Google Calendars for cannabis-related activity at the Washington State House of Representatives (direct, iCal) and Senate (direct, iCal), including committee work sessions, public hearings, and executive sessions.