The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) aims to develop programs and services to help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live and work, provide information to help people make good health decisions, and ensure Washington state is prepared for emergencies.
Washington State Department of Health
(DOH)
Public
Observations
WSLCB - Board Caucus
(December 5, 2023) - Summary
An experienced toxicologist and epidemiologist joined the Policy and Rules team, plus updates on a rule petition and already open rulemaking projects.
WA HCA - DBHR Listening Session
(November 28, 2023) - Five-Year Strategic Plan
WA HCA staff presented the newest strategic plan for substance use disorder prevention and mental health promotion, touching on the history, goals, and groups that created the plan.
The Week Ahead
(December 4, 2023)
As legislators sought perspectives on contemporary cannabis policy issues and regulators willingly shared, a group of publicly-funded prevention researchers kept their doors closed.
DOE - Webinar - Accreditation of Cannabis Laboratories - Public Workshop
(November 29, 2023) - Summary
Staff laid out changes in the latest lab accreditation rulemaking draft, including a lower cost of implementation and a waiver process around in-matrix proficiency testing.
JLARC - Committee Meeting
(November 29, 2023) - Appropriations and Expenditures of the Dedicated Cannabis Account
Staff went over how cannabis tax revenue had been spent, offered comparisons to other states, and recommended transparency improvements while fielding lawmaker questions.
The Week Ahead
(November 27, 2023)
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.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(November 8, 2023) - Summary
Topics related to social equity applicants, research projects, and the approaching legislative session were brought up by agency leadership.
WSLCB - Board Caucus
(November 7, 2023) - Summary
Staff shared rulemaking progress including upcoming outreach events, a new petition on cannabis testing results, and a timeline for implementing social equity legislation.
WSLCB - Board Meeting
(October 25, 2023) - Summary
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.
WIDAC - Council Meeting
(October 12, 2023) - Traffic Safety Statewide Survey Results
A researcher presented a new WTSC survey on peoples’ behaviors and impressions of Washington state traffic, with several responses pertaining to cannabis use and driving.