Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 2014
Source: Seattle Weekly (WA)
Column: Toke Signals
Copyright: 2014 Village Voice Media
Contact: 
http://www.seattleweekly.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.seattleweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/410
Author: Steve Elliott

IS THIS THE END OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN WASHINGTON?

Is this the way a world ends? The extreme vulnerability of 
Washington's medical-marijuana community was highlighted this week by 
the state House's approval of a bill that would abolish "collective 
gardens"-i.e., cannabis dispensaries-and tighten restrictions on 
patients. House Bill 2149 passed by a 67-29 vote, and, if passed by 
the Senate and signed by the governor, it will eliminate the only 
legal source of competition for the state-licensed marijuana stores 
scheduled to open this summer.

Supporters of the bill, introduced by Rep. Eileen Cody (D-West 
Seattle) and supported by House Democrats, think that banning 
dispensaries will help maximize tax revenue from the state-licensed 
pot stores soon to be established by recreational legalization 
measure I-502, approved by voters in November 2012. All but three of 
the 29 votes opposing Cody's bill came from House Republicans.

"Right now, you're taking everything away from them-you can't give it 
back," said Rep. Cary Condotta (R-East Wenatchee) during the floor 
debate. "I'm a little concerned we're moving a little too quickly 
without a program to integrate."

HB 2149 would repeal the provision of Washington's medical-marijuana 
law allowing collective gardens, effective May 1, 2015, thus bringing 
a thriving industry to an unceremonious end. It is estimated that 
around 300 dispensaries operate in the state, employing thousands of 
often otherwise unemployable workers and having positive economic 
effects on surrounding communities.

The bill would reduce the amount of marijuana that patients can grow 
and possess for themselves, from the current 15 plants and 24 ounces 
to just six plants (three of which may be flowering) and three 
ounces. Even then, home cultivation won't be safe; the bill instructs 
the Department of Health, along with the Liquor Control Board (which 
is in charge of implementing legalization) to perform a study, due by 
November 15, 2019, on whether it is "appropriate" to continue 
allowing home cultivation.

Cody's bill would set up a "patient recognition" system requiring a 
state registry that would allow cardholders to buy up to three ounces 
at a time (members of the general public are limited to one ounce at 
a time) and avoid paying sales taxes, a privilege addressed in a 
separate bill. Patients would be required to either register with the 
state or lose their affirmative defense.

Claims by the Liquor Control Board that patients can rely on the 
recreational system of cannabis distribution are looking more and 
more unlikely. After Attorney General Bob Ferguson's recent ruling 
that local municipalities can ban marijuana stores in their 
jurisdictions, large portions of the state are likely to be entirely 
without cannabis stores under I-502.

"The entire 502 implementation plan has been a failure to date," Rep. 
Chris Reykdal (D-Snohomish) wrote to a constituent. "I supported the 
initiative, but nobody believed they were voting to harm medical 
patients . . . The biggest failure comes from the fact that we all 
wanted to reduce law-enforcement costs, but now the massive 
regulatory scheme is making it worse."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom