Washington State Retail Marijuana Industry: Emergency rules regarding marijuana-infused products & sales to begin July 8th
- Published on Thursday, 26 June 2014
- Written by Gene Ganjian
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Yesterday, the Washington State Liquor Control Board adopted emergency rules with the Code Reviser’s Office to revise current recreational marijuana rules regarding marijuana-infused product requirements, prohibited marijuana-infused products, security and surveillance at marijuana licensed premises.
MARIJUANA INFUSED PRODUCTS
The board's issue paper on the emergency rules added a requirement that all marijuana-infused products, packaging, and labeling be approved by them. The rules are to clarify the types of marijuana-infused products the board will allow to be produced and sold. Stating:
"Many marijuana-infused products on the medical marijuana market today are appealing to children. Products such as lollipops, gummy bears, and cotton candy are very appealing to children too young to read a label."
To gain approval from the board, marijuana processors must submit a picture of the product, its label, and packaging to them. The board will not approve products that appeal to children.
Marijuana-infused products that look like foods and beverages that children commonly eat and drink have been a concern for WASAVP and adolescent substance use prevention advocates even prior to the I-502 vote. Concerns were expressed to the Liquor Control Board during their rule-making process and as they developed recommendations for reconciling the recreational and medical marijuana systems.
The emergency rules also include guidelines regarding serving sizes.
The new rules read:
"Marijuana-infused products in solid form that contain more than one serving must be scored to indicate individual serving sizes, and labeled so that the serving size is prominently displayed on the packaging."
"Marijuana-infused products must be homogenized to ensure uniform disbursement of cannabinoids throughout the product."
The rules became effective June 25, 2014, and expire October 23, 2014. Edible products will most likely not be available from store shelves as the state goes live with its recreational marijuana industry in less than two weeks.
RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES & THE INDUSTRY
As the first round of about 20 recreational marijuana retail stores will receive their licences from the Liquor Control Board on Monday, July 7, retailers will be required to use the first 24 hours to record their marijuana inventory into the store’s seed-to-sale tracking program, and will be allowed to open for business on Tuesday, July 8th.
Under state law, marijuana will be sold at one ounce or less sizes, although retailers may impose lower limits on how much marijuana may be purchased until the supply of marijuana becomes more predictable.
At the end of 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older. The voters also called for the establishment of systems of state-licensed cannabis growers, processors and retail stores.
Sales have already begun in Colorado and according to the state’s department of revenue, the first four months of legal marijuana sales have resulted in $10.8 million in taxes.
FOR MORE INFO, UPDATED RULES & SOURCES:
- Issue Paper - Emergency Rules for Recreational Marijuana
- Washington State Liquor Control Board
- Rules 1
- Rules 2
- MyNorthWest
- Colorado State Department of Revenue
RELATED: Check out the THCbiz.com - Premiere Marijuana Industry Directory 
