Washington CannaBusiness Association
(WACA)

Participants offered feedback to DOH staff questions related to their medical cannabis testing requirements and then posed questions of their own to officials.

Board members heard complaints about curtailing public speaking time among concerns over agency rulemaking inaction and changes to the social equity program scoring rubric.

The board was presented with a rulemaking petition on packaging and three on social equity license mobility; they approved updates for medical cannabis endorsements and heard public comments.

Legislative ideas for 2025, lengthy cannabis label approvals, updates from CANNRA, traceability, and a reminder about canopy were all brought up by staff or board members.

Staff claimed several rulemaking projects and petitions would be advanced in June and July, no one spoke at a public hearing, and members of the public voiced complaints.

Staff presented two petitions, one on banning single use vapor products and another on employee stock ownership, opened rulemaking on cannabis waste, and heard public comments.

A WSLCB board meeting densely packed with rulemaking and an anonymized petition to ban single use vapor products would precede a second focus group on the social equity program.

Attendees had many suggestions and questions for WSLCB staff regarding draft rules for medically endorsed retailers, with emphasis around expected levels of enforcement.

The first cannabis bill of 2024 was signed into law before a dynamic conclusion to the session as the “high THC” legislation criss-crossed the rotunda for a last minute change which may have fiscal consequences.

Testimony on cannabis commission legislation showed an industry divided over benefits and costs, plus the committee recommended bills on cannabis waste and THC-based taxation.