Uncle Ike's

Director of Legislative Relations Chris Thompson described the status of cannabis-related bills, and the potential that cannabinoid request legislation would fail in part due to “misinformation.”

A bill to grant all medical cannabis patients protection from arrest received almost entirely positive testimony, along with complaints about homegrowing and cannabis scheduling policy.

With increasing incidents of cannabis retail robbery, legislation adding reporting requirements and sentencing enhancements was seen as helpful, but some argued it sidestepped bigger issues.

A measure to change employment law around cannabis testing elicited more negative testimony than positive, but broad agreement that new methods to detect active impairment were needed.

Sharply divided testimony on a bill to add more members and non-voting legislators to the WSLCB board suggested the idea was controversial in both the cannabis and alcohol sectors.

Testimony on a craft cannabis endorsement was weighted in favor of those who saw the proposal increasing fairness in the cannabis market, but others were not so sure.

Some licensees, WSLCB staff, and prevention advocates encouraged lawmakers to pass request legislation on cannabinoid regulation, while other licensees preferred a competing bill.

Task force members heard progress reports from work group leaders and WSLCB licensing staff while the public voiced complaints about the pace of task force work and the absence of the former co-chair.

The board heard from concerned cannabis stakeholders about legal, health, and economic risks of failing to enforce a prohibition on the use of synthesized cannabinoids in I-502.

After a presentation on prospective Department of Commerce grant and mentorship programs for equity applicants, work group members and the public delved into potential details.