Posts belonging to Category washington state

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Washington state's proposed rules for newly legal marijuana aren't even 24 hours old yet, but are already under attack by critics.

The draft regulations -- 46 pages of them -- were released on Thursday, reports Oregon Public Broadcasting, and they cover everything from where cannabis can be grown to the criminal history of those who apply for licenses.

Under the proposed rules, anyone who wants to be involved in the legal marijuana business would have to submit to a background check. This even includes the financial backers of marijuana businesses; any felony convictions in the past decade would likely disqualify applicants.

The locations where cannabis will be grown has resulted in much discussion. The Board wants to limit grows to secure buildings or greenhouses, indoor cultivation only.

Another limitation in the proposed rules -- a ban on hash, hash oil and other concentrates extracted from cannabis, unless they're infused into an edible product -- is generating lots of controversy.

"I believe that the products that we're producing have received a bad rap because of the nickname BHO, butane extracted hash oil," Jim Andersen, who works with a company called XTracted, said.

Butane is often used to extract the THC, Andersen said, but he claimed if it's done right it leaves no chemical traces; he plans to fight the ban on marijuana extracts.

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Two months ago, Tacoma Municipal Court Judge Jack Emery told police to give the man his marijuana back. Police refused. Judge Emery on Thursday repeated himself with emphasis: He gave the cops one week to comply with his February 28 court order and return the cannabis to Tacoma resident Joseph L. Robertson, or face possible contempt of court charges.

"Appeal or comply," Judge Emery told Assistant City Attorney John Walker, reports Sean Robinson at The News Tribune of Tacoma. "Or next week, show up, and I would advise you to bring counsel."

The ruling -- a procedural victory for Robertson -- will likely set the stage for a precedent-setting case.

Police seized the marijuana back in May 2012 after they had pulled Robertson over for speeding. The officer who made the traffic stop claimed he smelled marijuana inside Robertson's car, and later he found a small amount of weed inside the vehicle.

Robertson was ticketed for driving without a license and misdemeanor marijuana possession and released. City prosecutors dismissed the possession charge in December after Washington voters approved the legalization of small amounts of marijuana in November.

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The Bremerton Police Department, along with many other law enforcement agencies around Washington State, is not training its new police dog how to sniff out marijuana. After voters legalized marijuana last November, Dusty is the first drug detection dog in Kitsap County who won't be looking for pot.

But in the unlikely event that cannabis once again becomes illegal in Washington, it would be easy to train 18-month-old Dusty accordingly, said Bremerton Police Officer Dahle "Duke" Roessel. "We can train them on marijuana in a weekend," Roessel said, reports Josh Farley at the Kitsap Sun.

The Washington State Patrol won't be training future drug detection dogs to find marijuana, either, according to spokesman Bob Calkins.

"It's problematic because the dogs could alert on a legal amount of marijuana," Calkins explained. "And then we're violating someone's privacy."

There's a concern that if a dog were to find a valuable piece of evidence because he had alerted on a legal amount of marijuana, all the evidence might be thrown out in court, according to Calkins.

For example, if a dog sniffs out a legal amount of marijuana and then a gun used in a murder is found along with it, a judge could rule the gun isn't admissible in court.

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Funny how everyone in Washington suddenly seems to be a marijuana expert, now that the herb is legal in the Evergreen State. In one of the latest examples of how an advanced cluelessness can make its way into the press, prosecutors and crime lab scientists are claiming that the differentiation between marijuana and hemp in the state's legal marijuana law could make it impossible to go after any pot "crimes" at all.

The problem supposedly stems from a part of I-502 meant to distinguish marijuana from industrial hemp, which is grown for its fiber and seed oil. Washington law now defines marijuana as having more than 0.3 percent of the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, delta-9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Scientists (who really should know better) with the state crime lab clain that "often," even potent marijuana can have less than 0.3 percent, claiming that it's only when heated or burned that "another compound" turns into delta-9 THC.

"That means if people get caught with more than an ounce of marijuana, or if police bust illicit grow operations, prosecutors might not be able to prove the plants or material seized meets the definition of marijuana, The Associated Press inaccurately reported on Wednesday.

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The first-ever Hempseed Festival, a cannabis awareness event at Heritage Park in Washington's state capitol city of Olympia, will be held August 3.

"Now that cannabis has been legalized for adults 21 and older, SONshine Organics has decided to do their part in helping to entertain and educate people on the benefits of this plant becoming legal," said Sarena Haskins of SONshine Organics.

To do so, Haskins and the rest of the SONshine crew have put together Hempseed, a cannabis music, education and awareness event.

Featured will be speakers from the Cash Hyde Foundation, Sarena Haskins, Lacey City Councilman Ron Lawson, Hemp News and Toke Signals Editor Steve Elliott, Cat Jeter, and Grandma Hemp.

"There will be local bands, vendor booths, tons of great speakers, and lots more!" Haskins said. "This is the first event of its kind and something that SONshine Organics is working to make a yearly fun/walk fundraising event."

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The first-ever Hempseed Festival, a cannabis awareness event at Heritage Park in Washington's state capitol city of Olympia, will be held August 3.

"Now that cannabis has been legalized for adults 21 and older, SONshine Organics has decided to do their part in helping to entertain and educate people on the benefits of this plant becoming legal," said Sarena Haskins of SONshine Organics.

To do so, Haskins and the rest of the SONshine crew have put together Hempseed, a cannabis music, education and awareness event.

Featured will be speakers from the Cash Hyde Foundation, Sarena Haskins, Lacey City Councilman Ron Lawson, Hemp News and Toke Signals Editor Steve Elliott, Cat Jeter, and Grandma Hemp.

"There will be local bands, vendor booths, tons of great speakers, and lots more!" Haskins said. "This is the first event of its kind and something that SONshine Organics is working to make a yearly fun/walk fundraising event."

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Development of adult-use marijuana rules and regulations on the docket for discussion at trade association event

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) will host an Educational Series Event on April 9 in Seattle. Geared to assist medical marijuana entrepreneurs and investors create responsible and successful businesses, Educational Series Events feature a panel of experts and networking period for cannabusiness professionals.

The 90-minute program will feature experts on Washington marijuana policy and development of rules and regulations under I-502. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period and networking reception.

What: NCIA Educational Series Event, "State & Federal Policy Update"

Where: McCormick and Schmick's - Harborside at Lake Union, 1200 Westlake Ave North, Seattle

When: Tuesday, April 9, 2013 7-10 p.m.

Who: Hilary Bricken, Harris & Moure, PLLC, Seattle, WA
Steven Davenport, BOTEC Analysis Corporation
Rick Garza, Washington State Liquor Control Board
State Representative Roger Goodman

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Development of adult-use marijuana rules and regulations on the docket for discussion at trade association event

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) will host an Educational Series Event on April 9 in Seattle. Geared to assist medical marijuana entrepreneurs and investors create responsible and successful businesses, Educational Series Events feature a panel of experts and networking period for cannabusiness professionals.

The 90-minute program will feature experts on Washington marijuana policy and development of rules and regulations under I-502. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period and networking reception.

What: NCIA Educational Series Event, "State & Federal Policy Update"

Where: McCormick and Schmick's - Harborside at Lake Union, 1200 Westlake Ave North, Seattle

When: Tuesday, April 9, 2013 7-10 p.m.

Who: Hilary Bricken, Harris & Moure, PLLC, Seattle, WA
Steven Davenport, BOTEC Analysis Corporation
Rick Garza, Washington State Liquor Control Board
State Representative Roger Goodman

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Washington state voters approved the legalization of marijuana at the ballot box last November, but they still won't be allowed to use it in bars like alcohol.

The state plans to crack down on bars that have been getting around a ban on consuming cannabis in public by converting part of their space into private clubs, reports Eric M. Johnson of Reuters.

Washington is considering how to regulate marijuana under the new "legal" paradigm, and evidently it's still just not quite as "legal" as alcohol.

Along with Colorado, Washington became one of the first two U.S. states to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. The Washington law will eventually allow cannabis to be sold at taxed at state-licensed stores, but the state Liquor Control Board -- charged with overseeing the recreational pot market -- said on Wednesday that it will clamp down on bars where people are allowed to consume pot.

"These licensed locations are allowing patrons to either smoke, vaporize or otherwise ingest marijuana on the premises," the board said in a stiffly worded statement.

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By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

There's no doubt about it, anymore: It's illegal to smoke marijuana in indoor public places and places of employment in Kitsap County, Washington.

Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana is now legal for adults in Washington, which is why the question had been raised in the first place. The Kitsap Public Health District unanimously voted to affirm what district staff said they believe was already true, reports Brynn Grimley at the Kitsap Sun.

Health district board members felt the existing ordinance -- which bans cigarette smoking in indoor places -- also covers cannabis. But the board was asked to update the law to clarify that marijuana, and anything else producing smoke, is not allowed.

Officials claimed the ban wasn't to target smokers, but to inform employers and owners of public facilities like bars and restaurants about what is legal and what isn't, said Keith Grellner, the Public Health District's environmental health director.

According to Grellner, the district gets about half a dozen complaints per year for cigarette smoking in places like bars or restaurants. The agency recently received its very first complaint about a bar allowing customers to smoke marijuana.

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