Washington State Department of Health
(DOH)

A mostly new team at the DOH Medical Cannabis Program solicited feedback on potential revisions to rules on compliant products, testing, labeling, and logos.

A legislative briefing outlined expected topics in 2024; a policy and rules update touched on work groups, rulemaking, and staffing; the recently-hired director kept his “internal” focus.

Willing avoidance of increased transparency and unexplained delays characterized important cannabis-related policymaking events in the week beginning on September 11th.

Staff received more input on how draft agency request bills on contract growing for patients and advertising changes might potentially impact patients, businesses, and the cannabis market.

The board heard about implementation of legislation and possible request bills; social equity applications; lab authority transfer; plus updates on medical endorsements and hiring.

Legislators and agency staff were preparing for the shorter 2024 legislative session where organized retail crime and patient concerns would figure amidst cannabis related policymaking.

With DOE staff moving forward on cannabis lab accreditation rulemaking, they explained the expected timeline for draft rules and heard feedback about the costly implications for labs.

A campaign focused on reducing youth cannabis use and impaired driving was getting positive results according to the program manager who presented and answered questions.

After a background on the draft rulemaking and method list for cannabis laboratory standards, stakeholders raised a lot of concerns and questions around expense and implementation.

Some task force members sought input from WSLCB and DOH guests on how to proceed with hemp consumable legislation given that THC regulations were already undergoing revisions.