Washington State Health Care Authority
(WA HCA)

Hearings on WSLCB THC legislation, cannabis waste, advertising, low dose products, patient arrest protections, local override, home grow, and the fate of concentrates were all scheduled.

Senators heard supportive testimony on a bill addressing retail theft and four new bills were prepared for introduction, including two targeting concentrated cannabis products.

Republican representatives were poised to introduce a bill to radically revise the excise tax structure by THC concentration after the public weighed in against taxing patients.

Legislators continued to undertake cannabis bills slowly, especially in the senate, but perennial subjects like out-of-state ownership had been positioned for consideration.

Informed by a small survey of stakeholders, a researcher producing a legislative report recommended officials reduce the availability and use of high-concentration cannabis products.

Commissioners heard how methodology changes to improve the identification of poly-drugged driving incidents revealed significant historical overreporting of cases involving cannabis.

The principal researcher responsible for organizing the high THC cannabis symposium and delivering the policy report presented their findings from surveys of recruited stakeholders.

The WSLCB board cancelled meetings during the holiday week, but WA HCA would host a listening session as staff prepared a report on “High THC Policy” recommendations.

Presentations on public health surveys by researchers from Canada and Oregon gave the board insight into how Washington’s system compared to other legal cannabis jurisdictions.

A conversation with the author of the state’s legalization initiative provided history and context around the first decade of WSLCB policymaking, along with insights for the next.