Washington State’s Draft Regulations

Here are the draft regulations issued by Washington’s Liquor Control Board. The LCB is overstepping its bounds when it attempts to exert control over MMJ as defined by 69.51a. The preamble of I-502 expressly defines the scope to exclude the exisiting MMF infrastructure.

 

What LCB fails to realize is that recreational marijuana and medical marijuana are not one and the same. It’s like comparing popcorn to sweet corn. If I bring popcorn to your BBQ and toss it on the grill no one’s going to be happy. Likewise giving a patient with specific symptoms high THC may or may not address their concerns.

 

Genetics dictate cannabinoid profiles. Stoners seek THC to get high and patients seek CBD to get well. By blending the cultivation and distribution of recreational and medical, the WA Liquor Control Board is doing a disservice to both communities.

 

The biggest insult is the elimination of home cultivation for MMJ patients. Not only will potrepeneurs gravitate towards high THC cannabis for the recreational market (where the profit is), they are totally unprepared to meet the needs of medical patients. They don’t know the strains, the doseages or have access to current research and trends.

 

Package stores and apothecaries are not the same. Home grows not only give patients and their designated providers control over their medicine, it is a decentralized and local approach to agriculture. Home grows done outside use no electricity and have zero carbon footprint. If I can grow chamomille, mint, and calendula, why can’t I grow cannabis?

 

The WA Liquor Control Board needs to be re-educated.

 

All Power to the People!