OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A Democratic lawmaker who had been pushing for legal recognition of medical marijuana dispensaries in Washington state is abandoning her efforts.
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle said Tuesday that the Legislature does not have enough time to find and pass a compromise bill before the end of the special session. She said it represents by far the greatest disappointment of her legislative career.
Kohl-Welles had helped usher through a major overhaul of state laws that included a statewide regulatory system for licensing medical marijuana producers, processers and dispensaries. But Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed the measure after federal prosecutors warned that state employees would not be immune from prosecution.
Kohl-Welles then pushed two other proposals to allow local jurisdictions to regulate dispensaries, but neither made it out of committee.
