The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is the primary adult use cannabis regulatory authority in the State of Washington. The executive agency, which also regulates alcohol, tobacco, and vapor products in Washington state, is overseen by a three member board appointed by the Governor to six-year terms. The Board holds regular public meetings and work sessions with stakeholders, makes policy and budget decisions, and adjudicates contested license applications and enforcement actions on licensees. Board members are also responsible for hiring the agency's Director, who manages day-to-day operations.
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
(WSLCB)
Public
Observations
WSLCB - Board Meeting
(June 7, 2023) - Summary
An environmental pesticide briefing laid out previous and ongoing actions by WSLCB, board members denied a petition related to the topic, and public commenters raised various concerns.
WSLCB - Board Caucus
(June 5, 2023) - Summary
Staff brought the board up to speed on several cannabis rulemaking projects, and briefed on a petition seeking to raise action levels for a legacy environmental pesticide.
The Week Ahead
(June 5, 2023)
Arguably arbitrary thresholds and limits had come to predominate conversations around safety in cannabis products and how to distinguish hemp consumables in Washington state.
WSLCB - Special Board Meeting
(June 1, 2023) - Hiring New Director
After a months-long search, a Colorado cannabis regulator was voted in as the new agency director to the satisfaction of board members.
WSLCB - Work Group - Cannabinoid Science - Public Meeting
(April 6, 2023) - Summary
Members and agency staff provided praise and criticism of research articles put forward by staff involving “Regulatory Science,” cannabinoid differences, testing results, and terminology.
WA Governor - Bill Action
(May 16, 2023) - SB 5187
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.
The Week Ahead
(May 29, 2023)
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.”
WSLCB - Board Meeting
(May 24, 2023) - Summary
Rulemaking to implement alcohol legislation included a cannabis-related bill; public commenters gave input on cannabis traceability and called for more updates about environmental pesticides.
WA Hemp in Food Task Force - Meeting
(May 18, 2023) - Summary
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 Week Ahead
(May 22, 2023)
The WSLCB Board planned to convene and initiate rulemaking on 2023 legislation prohibiting consumable products that contain “cannabis or any form of THC and alcohol.”