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
WA House COG - Work Session
(September 15, 2020) - UW ADAI
Committee members learned about cannabis-related research from academics affiliated with the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (UW ADAI) and heard their concerns about concentrated cannabinoid products.
WA House COG - Work Session
(September 15, 2020) - CCPRO
Lawmakers learned about the cannabis-related work of academics affiliated with the Collaboration on Cannabis Policy, Research, and Outreach (CCPRO) at Washington State University (WSU) including studies on rodent brain development and human cannabis use during and after pregnancy.
WA House COG - Work Session
(September 15, 2020) - Cannabis Potency Policy Considerations
House lawmakers heard invited testimony on “Cannabis potency policy considerations” from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), legislative staff, and two cannabis trade groups.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Enforcement Review
Director Rick Garza and Enforcement Chief Justin Nordhorn brought WSLCB’s Executive Management Team (EMT) up to speed on the agency’s enforcement reforms and responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Marijuana Odor Task Force
Board Chair Jane Rushford asked about the status of the legislatively mandated task force on cannabis odor which had received scant updates from WSLCB staff since it was created.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Legislative Work Sessions
WSLCB Director of Legislative Relations Chris Thompson provided a briefing to the agency’s Executive Management Team (EMT) on staff participation in two fall work sessions hosted by the Legislature’s primary cannabis policy committees.
The Week Ahead
(September 21, 2020)
A week more notable for cancellations would still include a meetup of third-party software integrators augmenting Washington state’s regulated marketplace despite Akerna.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Cannabis Regulators Association
Director Rick Garza noted that the Cannabis Regulators Association had been formed with officials from 17 member states.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Regulators Roundtable
Director Rick Garza provided a summary of the most recent Regulators Roundtable, a biannual meeting among American and Canadian officials responsible for legal cannabis regulation.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(September 16, 2020) - Chief Nordhorn’s New Role
Deputy Director Megan Duffy discussed Enforcement Chief Justin Nordhorn’s upcoming transfer to a new policy oversight position in the Director’s Office, and Nordhorn followed up with insights into his future role.