Washington Sun and Craft Growers Association
(WSCA)

Organization leaders and attendees heard from two prominent legislators on long-running cannabis topics and expected priorities for the 2024 regular legislative session.

Updates to a more than five-year-old tribal compact, a rulemaking petition, and general public comments were on the agenda for the final board meeting of 2023.

Licensees gave another round of feedback to agency staff engaged in rulemaking on how to set limits and requirements for cannabis product sampling by retail staff.

Legislators greeted the final week of the 2023 regular session as WSLCB staff cleaned up a policy mess nearly made near the sleeping giant of environmental pesticide contamination.

Pausing emergency rulemaking which would lower action levels for some pesticides didn’t preclude public comments critical of the approach taken by agency staff to the overall situation.

The board heard that details on emergency rules around potential soil contamination could wait until the following day’s board meeting, and staff also gave legislative and rulemaking updates.

Delays at another agency were presented as cause for extending the social equity licensing application window before a short legislative update and a lengthy conversation about two rulemaking petitions.

Testimony on a cannabis commission showed disagreements over the body’s potential value; supporters emphasized the bill gave licensed producers the power to decide for themselves.

Committee members heard testimony in favor, opposed, and ‘other’ while seeking suggestions on THC levels for hemp products after the Senate decided any amount of THC was too much. 

Leaders touched on several bills concerning cannabinoid regulation and “inactive” producer licenses in addition to a favorable court ruling and social equity program updates.