Washington State Department of Agriculture
(WSDA)

The operating budget that reached Governor Jay Inslee featured more than a dozen state agencies which received cannabis revenue, or were budgeted for activities related to the plant.

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.”

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 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.

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.

A bill regulating products containing THC was signed, granting new authority and rulemaking mandates for WSLCB - though fewer hemp licensees may be another result of the law.

A familiar face was announced to lead a new agency research unit, extensive rulemaking would take place in the coming months, and the board celebrated signed social equity legislation.

An update on the 2023 legislative session hinted at a potential special session to revise a Blake bill on drug use and treatment, then staff discussed input on the medical cannabis system.

The final day of the 2023 regular session would almost certainly include acceptance of the operating budget - but passage of the Blake response bill seemed more complicated.