The Cannabis Alliance

Reporting touched on why Licensing staff were “hands off” in the new phase of social equity applications, relocating producers over environmental pesticide concerns, and other updates.

Legislation expanding arrest projections for medical cannabis patients reflected the diligence of an advocate who had been pushing for various reforms on medical policies for several years.

The Governor approved a bill to allow interstate cannabis agreements if the practice became permitted by federal government action - and legislation had been introduced in Congress to do just that.

Researchers ran through various efforts to regulate cannabis concentrates which had been supported by some stakeholders before taking questions on how to influence legislators and the public.

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.

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.

After a busy start of the week, legislators planned to address nearly as many bills on Tuesday including the continuation of two incomplete public hearings left open on Monday.

Legislators asked for additional information during testimony on a bill to expand the social equity program before an unscheduled WSLCB panel joined the hearing to field questions.

At the first work group meeting, members introduced themselves and heard agency leaders’ intentions to gather input on the effectiveness of 2022 cannabis testing changes.