The hearing in the House Commerce and Gaming Committee was an example of just how far the legal marijuana industry has come. Some worried about distribution and logistics. Others lamented taxes or prices. Others wanted Washington to maintain its current place in the national market.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Emily Wicks, D-Marysville, worried about the state marijuana businesses suffering if the industry went so national that “the Walmart of Cannabis” were to move into Washington. The industry not only has lobbyists, but an array of trade organizations with different views on the proposal.
The bill is scheduled for a vote this week in the committee and has a way to go to become law. It will also compete for attention with other bills involving marijuana, including one to stop calling it marijuana, at least in state law.
During the same hearing, the committee passed a bill that would change the word “marijuana” to “cannabis” in the Revised Code of Washington and state administrative rules. While this may have old stoners like Cheech and Chong scratching their heads, Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Parkland, said the m-word is “racist terminology” and changing it to the more scientific term of cannabis would be a step toward “healing the wrongs that were committed against Black and brown people.”
The Legislature also will take another run at ensuring minorities have a better shot at getting those limited state marijuana licenses as a way of balancing the scales for higher rates of arrests and conviction of minorities for breaking the old marijuana laws.
Perhaps the best example of the mainstreaming of marijuana, however, are proposals in the House and Senate to create a State Cannabis Commission. This is not to be confused with the State Liquor and Cannabis Board, which regulates the industry. The commission would support and advance the industry, enhance production and improve its sustainability “to benefit the people of the state … and its economy.”
It would be just like the State Grain Commission, the State Apple Commission, the State Red Raspberry Commission, the State Fruit Commission, the State Hay Growers Commission, the State Wine Commission and more than a dozen other groups that help develop Washington’s cash crops.
The new commission might even come up with a catchy jingle for the state’s recreational product, if they can come up with a rhyme for cannabis.
