A bill to clarify the rules surrounding medical marijuana is being forwarded to Governor Gregoire. 36th District Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D) introduced Senate Bill 5073 with Sen. Jerome Delvin (R-Richland). “This is huge step forward in ensuring that qualifying patients have safe, consistent and reliable access to their medicine,” Kohl-Welles said. “Currently, unless patients grow for themselves or obtain medical marijuana from a designated provider, the law doesn’t offer a legal pathway for patients to access their medicine. This bill creates a much needed regulatory framework so both patients and law enforcement have a bright line in knowing what is legal and what isn’t.”
The measure would establish a regulatory system for the growing, sale and purchase of medical marijuana. Authorized patients with qualifying medical conditions would be able to purchase medical marijuana products from dispensaries licensed through the state Department of Health (DOH) or by taking part in a patient collective consisting of no more than ten authorized patients.. The state Department of Agriculture would create a licensing system for the growing of medical marijuana and DOH would do the same for dispensaries. The bill would:
Establish a regulatory system for producing, processing, and dispensing cannabis intended for medical use. Establish protection from criminal liability, including arrest protection, for certain qualifying patients, designated providers, health care professionals, licensed producers, licensed processors, and licensed dispensers. Establish a voluntary registry in which qualifying patients and designated providers may enroll and receive protection from arrest and prosecution.
The bill now moves to the governor for her consideration.