Washington State Department of Health
(DOH)

A request bill to modify the timeline for Ecology to take on lab accreditation was shelved following “stakeholder research,” while potential legislation to create a lab standards body carried on.

Director of Legislative Relations Chris Thompson went over the status of two potential agency request bills (lab standards, cannabinoid regulation) and an upcoming briefing to lawmakers.

WSLCB staff planned to host a third webinar on the Cannabis Central Reporting System (CCRS) to help expedite the transition away from MJ Freeway - and reallocate funding?

A staff briefing on potential effects of a draft discussion bill to legalize cannabis federally prompted questions on engagement with the Washington state congressional delegation.

Industry, academic, and agency representatives brought lawmakers up to speed on CBD product research and policy development in Washington state.

The board began rescinding unnecessary interim policies, heard rulemaking updates, and a licensee called for more time to transition from seed-to-sale traceability to weekly reporting.

A single patient offered testimony recommending sales tax breaks be reserved for registered patient purchases of DOH compliant products to incentivize “medical grade” production.

A public hearing on the implementation of imported CBD rules drew suggested revisions on cannabis product testing standards from the public and a WSDA pesticide official.

The board heard about two agency request bills: a joint venture with WSDA to regulate testing lab standards and one “to allow for synthetic, but to prohibit artificial” cannabinoids in products.

Following a longer development process than expected, a CR-102 on CBD imports for use as cannabis product additives was presented to board members and gained their approval.