Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

Members prepared to approve the 21st tribal cannabis compact and heard the status of 2023 agency request legislation the same day WSLCB officers led raids on two cannabis markets.

Work group members organized a presentation on the policy history and state arrest data related to residential home grows before drafting a recommendation to the task force.

A legislative affairs update featured the first public remarks on draft request legislation for 2023 covering “THC regulation,” social equity, and subpoena authority for cannabis investigations.

At four tables with small groups of lawmakers, WACA members and meeting attendees honed arguments in support of lower taxes, more advertising, vertical integration, and out of state ownership.

The final licensing and community reinvestment recommendations from the task force were presented, discussed, and voted upon before members scheduled remaining work.

The locus of cannabis policymaking in Washington state would temporarily shift to Walla Walla as an influential trade association convened legislators and regulators to confer and commingle.

The committee heard about a motion to create a cannabis security task force to address robberies in the area, amending wording and scope before recommending it to the full council.

A leading cannabis researcher went over his work on CBD and THC compounds to leverage the therapeutic potential of the endogenous cannabinoid system in the body.

Panelists from previous talks returned to field questions on identifying and regulating impairing cannabinoids, goals much more difficult to reach for cannabis than for alcohol.

Legislative, licensing, communications, and director updates contributed to the discussion amongst WSLCB leadership about activity towards social equity in cannabis.