Washington Group Is Challenging New Medical Marijuana Law

[LittleDabbie]

Last month Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5052 into law. SB 5052 made a lot of changes to Washington’s long established medical marijuana program. Some of those changes included:

• Requires every medical cannabis dispensary in the state to close by July 1st, 2016 forcing patients to purchase from recreational cannabis outlets (despite most cities in the state prohibiting them) or rely on the black-market.
• Reducing patient possession limits from twenty ounces, to three, and their cultivation limits from fifteen plants, to six. Patients caught possessing between three and twenty four ounces, or caught growing between seven and fifteen plants will be committing class C felonies once the law takes effect, and could be imprisoned for up to 5 years.
• Patients will be required to join a patient database, or only be allowed to possess an ounce, and cultivate four plants.

A group in Washington is hoping to challenge the new law in the form of a citizen’s referendum. Per Marijuana Business Daily:

A Washington State group is looking to challenge newly minted regulations that roll the state’s medical marijuana market into its heavily regulated recreational cannabis program.

The group hopes to gather enough signatures to get a referendum in front of voters that would unravel the new law. A spokesman for the proposal – dubbed Referendum 76 – said the regulations limit access for patients who use MMJ to treat various ailments.

The new law – which the governor signed April 27 – will essentially eliminate the state’s mostly unregulated medical marijuana industry and force existing MMJ businesses to get licenses under the recreational cannabis program or close down.

Senate Bill 5052 is rough for Washington medical marijuana patients, and medical marijuana industry members to say the least. I’m curious to see how many medical marijuana dispensaries stay open anyways. That’s what is happening in California, and for a long time happened in Oregon before Oregon passed a comprehensive medical marijuana dispensary bill. With prices still very high at recreational stores, I’d imagine more patients will go to the black market than convert to purchasing recreational marijuana in the event that there is a massive wave of dispensary closures across the state.

http://www.theweedblog.com/washington-group-is-challenging-new-medical-marijuana-law/

 

[SHIRDABZALOT]

.....helping the blackmarket flourish one day at a time!! The senators around Washington are some of the dumbest and greedy politicians you will ever lay eyes and ears upon. It pains me to ponder the fact that these wastes of life are my "chosen" leaders. We need to make a giant data base of all these politician fucks that are against us and vote (flush) these turds out of office. These old cunts that don't represent our best interests time is up! That should be the first question we ask any campaigners is: what is your stance on marijauna? If they are against it then you pretty much know the rest of their stance on abortions, gay marriage, and all that other shit that don't matter, that they try and confuse us with.when it comes vote time.

 

[StickyBiz]

The Governor vetoed the section in 5052 that added the new felonies. So while it is true the Legislature passed such bullshit it isn't true that the Governor signed that section into law.

 

[seaslug]

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/Session Laws/Senate/5052-S2.SL.pdf

I am vetoing the following sections: Section 36. This section prohibits employers of health care providers from limiting medical marijuana recommendations to patients. This is an employment law provision that may cause confusion and potential unintended consequences. This section was added without adequate input. The sponsors of this legislation have also requested this provision be vetoed to allow time for further discussion to develop appropriate policy. Sections 42 and 43. These sections remove from Schedule I of our state's Controlled Substances Act any medical marijuana product. This is a laudable idea and I appreciate the intent to reduce the stigma of medical marijuana by rescheduling it from a Schedule I — an illegal — controlled substance to something more appropriate. However, our state's rescheduling system has very limited effect, and rescheduling just medicinal marijuana — not the entire cannabis plant and derivatives — may cause serious problems such as having the p. 71 2SSB 5052.SL unintended effect of limiting the types of marijuana that are considered medicine. To that end, I have instructed the Department of Health to thoroughly consider this idea in consultation with medical professionals and stakeholders, and bring an appropriate resolution to me and the Legislature by next year. Furthermore, I will continue to advocate for the federal government to consider a national rescheduling solution, which may be most beneficial, considering the limited power that state rescheduling has in this respect. Sections 44, 45 and 46. These sections create new felonies in our criminal code. Washington state does not need additional criminal penalties related to medical marijuana. Moreover, these sections were added as part of the same amendment that created sections 42 and 43 that would have rescheduled medical marijuana. Because I have vetoed sections 42 and 43, sections 44, 45, and 46 are also unnecessary. Section 52. This section makes Senate Bill 5052 contingent on the enactment of some version of House Bill 2136 by October 1, 2015. This contingent effective date causes confusion and potentially conflicts with other effective dates in Senate Bill 5052. In addition, if the Legislature is unable to pass a version of House Bill 2136, the Code Reviser's Office has advised me that this provision acts as a null and void clause, in which case we risk jeopardizing the integrity of the system created in this bill. I strongly agree with the need for additional policy and administrative changes to ensure a wellregulated and functioning marijuana market. However, this bill should not be made contingent on those changes. For these reasons I have vetoed Sections 36, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, and 52 of Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5052.

 

[StickyBiz]

just to clarify and quote the veto note in the link (not sure why the above poster didn't include this in the post)

Sections 44, 45 and 46. These sections create new felonies in our criminal code. Washington state does not need additional criminal penalties related to medical marijuana. Moreover, these sections were added as part of the same amendment that created sections 42 and 43 that would have rescheduled medical marijuana. Because I have vetoed sections 42 and 43, sections 44, 45, and 46 are also unnecessary.

 

[StickyBiz]

It's a pretty big deal in my opinion that those felonies didn't make it past the Governor. It doesn't mean he isn't a fffg douche bag, but I'll smoke a joint for the prude.

 

[Clepidus]

I just came from my dispensary where I was given some more uncool news. It seems that all BHO production in the state is going to be banned mid July. They mentioned an exact date but I spaced it.

Anyway I was hoping somebody could validate this rumor so I know what investments I need to focus on in the next month and a half.

 

[Clepidus]

.....helping the blackmarket flourish one day at a time!! The senators around Washington are some of the dumbest and greedy politicians you will ever lay eyes and ears upon. It pains me to ponder the fact that these wastes of life are my "chosen" leaders. We need to make a giant data base of all these politician fucks that are against us and vote (flush) these turds out of office. These old cunts that don't represent our best interests time is up! That should be the first question we ask any campaigners is: what is your stance on marijauna? If they are against it then you pretty much know the rest of their stance on abortions, gay marriage, and all that other shit that don't matter, that they try and confuse us with.when it comes vote time.

This data base would be a good idea. They already do it for other groups. A herb friendly list of politicians based on voting history would be nice too. It might conflict with some of my other thoughts but I think battling for my choice of meds is a better idea. Wish I had time to set this up because I have a solid server that isn't getting any use these days.

 

[FooDoo]

I just came from my dispensary where I was given some more uncool news. It seems that all BHO production in the state is going to be banned mid July. They mentioned an exact date but I spaced it.

Anyway I was hoping somebody could validate this rumor so I know what investments I need to focus on in the next month and a half.

I, for one, support that. I don't want to do a bho vs xxx argument with anyone. Its peoples choice what and how they smoke. I'm just saying that I fully support all bho bans

 

[LittleDabbie]

I just came from my dispensary where I was given some more uncool news. It seems that all BHO production in the state is going to be banned mid July. They mentioned an exact date but I spaced it.

Anyway I was hoping somebody could validate this rumor so I know what investments I need to focus on in the next month and a half.

For what its worth ive yet to find any information regarding that issue, I searched yesterday but all the bans ive come across are in Califorina and Colorado, There COULD be LOCAL ordinances, But im personally for what its worth not aware of any state laws banning the production or sale..

I'll keep an eye out tho :D

 

[Clepidus]

Thanks LittleDabbie. I will probably swing in to see them today. I know they are pushing a petition to protect the medical side of things now too. (http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_715.pdf)

Hopefully I can get some more information from them. I like my extracts.

 

[Clepidus]

So the only details I got today about the concentrate bans was that it was posted on the liquor control board website. I did pick up some petition forms for I-1372 that I will be reading through today. It isn't a solution to the extract issue but it is a major issue that needs addressed. Never been a true activist but I guess I'm going to try on the new shoes as of right now. If anybody knows about any of this let me know so I can fact check all my developing arguments.

 

[StickyBiz]

July 24th 2015 is when it is illegal for unlicensed use of butane to make concentrates. It'll be over a year before the dispensaries that get a license to sell will be in turn able to get BHO from licensed processors.