Pubdate: Mon, 05 Aug 2013
Source: Herald, The (Everett, WA)
Copyright: 2013 The Daily Herald Co.
Contact:  http://www.heraldnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/190
Author: Sharon Salyer

HEARINGS TO HELP SET MARIJUANA POLICIES

The State Seeks Input As It Formulates Regulations Governing the 
Growing, Distribution and Selling of Recreational Pot.

The first of five public hearings in Washington on regulating a new 
system for legally growing, distributing and selling recreational 
marijuana is scheduled Tuesday in Everett.

The hearing begins at 1 p.m. at Everett's Comcast Arena Conference 
Center. The new statewide system for legalizing marijuana is 
regulated by Washington's Liquor Control Board.

The state agency is responsible for carrying out the legalization of 
the sale and possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults. 
The proposed regulations spell out the licensing of marijuana 
producers, processors and retailers and the taxing of marijuana.

The first stores selling marijuana are expected to open next year.

One of those expected to turn out for the hearing is Bruce King, a 
pig farmer in Snohomish County.

King operates a farm on Ebey Island. Following passage in November of 
Initiative 502 legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, King 
publicly declared his interest in growing marijuana as a cash crop, 
drawing a wave of media attention.

King said he expects that the state's proposed rules will be adopted 
pretty much as they are now written.

"The proposed regulations seem to be pretty workable in terms of 
production, security of buildings and requirements for shipping," he said.

King said his biggest concerns involve the differences between what 
he called the untaxed and "essentially uncontrolled" medical 
marijuana stores and the state's taxed and regulated system for 
growing and selling recreational marijuana.

Having this dual system, he said, will put recreational marijuana 
growers and retailers at a price disadvantage.

The state is asking for public comment on a wide variety of proposed 
regulations for the recreational sale of marijuana.

They include: fingerprinting of all those involved in its growing, 
sale, distribution; requirements for securing, tracking and testing 
marijuana; limiting the hours stores selling marijuana can operate 
from 8 a.m. until midnight, and requiring child-resistant packaging 
of marijuana.

The state will determine how many retail stores selling marijuana 
will be allowed in each county.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom