Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

As legislators sought perspectives on contemporary cannabis policy issues and regulators willingly shared, a group of publicly-funded prevention researchers kept their doors closed.

State legislators would be prepared with details on cannabis revenues, appropriations, and retail theft while Ecology staff delayed accreditation rules to see how the session panned out.

The board approved the start of a rulemaking project on retail medical endorsements, heard a status report on social equity applicants, and impressions of an ongoing prevention summit.

Presenting a report on cannabis health and safety outcomes, staff detailed patterns and limitations in their data as board members asked about the findings and future WSIPP studies.

Senate cannabis policy committee members planned to convene an interim work session on biometric age verification while the WSLCB board hosted regularly scheduled meetings.

A legislative briefing outlined expected topics in 2024; a policy and rules update touched on work groups, rulemaking, and staffing; the recently-hired director kept his “internal” focus.

The board agreed to skip patient growing contracts but seek approval for other request bills on cannabis advertising and relating to enforcement against alcohol sales to minors.

WSLCB staff planned to accept comments on potential agency request legislation through the week which would end with a March for Homegrow in downtown Seattle.

WSLCB leaders introduced two concepts for 2024 request legislation, one for medical patients to contract with licensees; another to revise limits around cannabis retail advertising.

Legislators and agency staff were preparing for the shorter 2024 legislative session where organized retail crime and patient concerns would figure amidst cannabis related policymaking.