The State of Washington has needed a medical marijuana industry regulation bill for a very long time. There have been attempts in the pass to do so, but those efforts never succeeded. Without fair, clear medical marijuana regulations in Washington State, the medical marijuana industry will always be under attack. That is bad for the industry, and is especially bad for patients. A new effort was started yesterday with the introduction of a bill in Washington’s Legislature. Per The Joint Blog:
Washington State Representatives Luis Moscoso (D-Mountlake Terrace) and Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Wall) have introduced legislation to create a system of licensing and regulation for medical cannabis.
According to a press release sent today by Rep. Mosoco, House Bill 2058 is identical to legislation that passed both the House and Senate in 2011, before being largely vetoed by then-Governor Christine Gregoire due to concerns about federal intervention.
“With the legalization of recreational marijuana and subsequent changes in federal law and enforcement, we have a real opportunity to create a better medical marijuana system for Washington,” says Moscoso. “It’s time we established clear and consistent regulations that preserve patient rights.”
The medical marijuana system in Washington needs some major improvements. There will have to be some sacrifices made on the industry side, as well as the political side if things are truly going to happen. Washington’s medical marijuana industry is one of the most tense situations I have seen in the marijuana world, so I’m sure there will be a lot of hurdles along the way. But for the sake of the industry, and the sake of patients, I hope something gets worked out soon.
