The Week Ahead
(December 16, 2019)

WSLCB’s Cannabis Advisory Council will provide a preview of the legislative session and a Special Board Meeting is scheduled prior to the holidaze to move rulemaking projects.

Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on Cannabis Observer’s calendars in the week ahead.

Monday December 16th

On Monday at 9am PT @ the Department of Ecology (DOE), the Cannabis Science Task Force (CSTF) Steering Committee convenes for its fifth public meeting.

  • The methodical transition of responsibility for accreditation of cannabis testing labs from the WSLCB to the DOE continues. The CSTF was charged to develop cannabis laboratory “standards or adapt appropriate science-based analytical methods, method validation protocols, performance criteria, proficiency testing, and homogenization procedures for testing cannabis and cannabis products.” The Cannabis Science Task Force’s leadership committee meets monthly to hear updates from two work groups and adopt recommendations which become formal positions of the CSTF.
  • Steering Committee members will meet the new DOE Proficiency Testing Chemist hired to lead the Proficiency Testing Work Group, a role DOE Senior Chemist and Project Manager Sara Sekerak had been filling in addition to serving as lead chemist for the CSTF and author of its reports.
  • Complexities introduced by the different clients serviced by cannabis testing laboratories, first discussed at the Committee’s second meeting in late September, continues to occupy time on the agenda.

Tuesday December 17th

On Tuesday at 10am PT @ WSLCB, the weekly Board Caucus recurs.

On Tuesday at 1:30pm PT @ WSLCB, the agency planned to convene the Cannabis Advisory Council for its third meeting in 2019.

  • The Cannabis Advisory Council (CAC) is an appointed body which serves as a primary public interface between WSLCB leadership and the regulated community. Board Member Ollie Garrett serves as the executive sponsor and Chair of the CAC.
  • This year, the agency has acted to diversify representation on the CAC beyond trade associations and a consumer representative. Prior to the last meeting in July, Garrett appointed Mark Ambler as a representative of tier 1 producers and Aaron Bossett from the Black Cannabis Commission. Prior to this meeting, Garrett appointed Lukas Barfield as a medical cannabis patient representative following advocacy for representation from the patient community.
  • The meeting agenda includes two primary topics: a fifteen minute update on the agency’s response to the vaping associated lung injury health scare, and discussion of the upcoming legislative session. Staff will provide an update on the agency’s request legislation, which was last publicly discussed on December 4th. It’s likely that the agency will have heard back from the Office of the Governor on the approval or denial of their two request bills to establish a fledgling social equity program and address a mishmash of patient and small producer concerns. Moreover, the agency planned to provide time in the hopes that CAC members would be forthcoming about their own legislative agendas.

Wednesday December 18th

On Wednesday at 10am PT @ WSLCB, a Special Board Meeting has been scheduled.

  • Due to the holidays, the agency moved the following week’s regularly scheduled Board Meeting to this Wednesday.
  • In late November, WSLCB Policy and Rules Coordinator Kathy Hoffman expected to propose rules for Quality Assurance (QA) Testing and Product Requirements by this date, progressing that rulemaking project to the CR-102 stage.
  • Although less likely, given the limited scope of comments during the public hearing for the Packaging and Labeling (PAL) rulemaking project at the December 11th Board Meeting, a CR-103 may be presented for adoption.

On Wednesday at 1:30pm PT @ WSLCB, the three-member Board and agency leadership convene their weekly Executive Management Team (EMT) meeting.

Thursday December 19th

On Thursday at 10am PT @ WSLCB, the bi-monthly Marijuana Traceability Project (MTP) Integrator Work Session recurs.