WA Rev Code § 69.50.345 (2021)
2021 Revised Code of Washington|Title 69 - Food, Drugs, Cosmetics, and Poisons|Chapter 69.50 - Uniform Controlled Substances Act.|69.50.345 - State liquor and cannabis board—Rules—Procedures and criteria.

RCW 69.50.345 State liquor and cannabis board—Rules—Procedures and criteria. (Effective until July 1, 2024.)The state liquor and cannabis board, subject to the provisions of this chapter, must adopt rules that establish the procedures and criteria necessary to implement the following:(1) Licensing of marijuana producers, marijuana processors, and marijuana retailers, including prescribing forms and establishing application, reinstatement, and renewal fees.(a) Application forms for marijuana producers must request the applicant to state whether the applicant intends to produce marijuana for sale by marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements and the amount of or percentage of canopy the applicant intends to commit to growing plants determined by the department under RCW 69.50.375 to be of a THC concentration, CBD concentration, or THC to CBD ratio appropriate for marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products sold to qualifying patients.(b) The state liquor and cannabis board must reconsider and increase limits on the amount of square feet permitted to be in production on July 24, 2015, and increase the percentage of production space for those marijuana producers who intend to grow plants for marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements if the marijuana producer designates the increased production space to plants determined by the department under RCW 69.50.375 to be of a THC concentration, CBD concentration, or THC to CBD ratio appropriate for marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products to be sold to qualifying patients. If current marijuana producers do not use all the increased production space, the state liquor and cannabis board may reopen the license period for new marijuana producer license applicants but only to those marijuana producers who agree to grow plants for marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements. Priority in licensing must be given to marijuana producer license applicants who have an application pending on July 24, 2015, but who are not yet licensed and then to new marijuana producer license applicants. After January 1, 2017, any reconsideration of the limits on the amount of square feet permitted to be in production to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients must consider information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database established in RCW 69.51A.230;(2) Determining, in consultation with the office of financial management, the maximum number of retail outlets that may be licensed in each county, taking into consideration:(a) Population distribution;(b) Security and safety issues;(c) The provision of adequate access to licensed sources of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products to discourage purchases from the illegal market; and(d) The number of retail outlets holding medical marijuana endorsements necessary to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients. The state liquor and cannabis board must reconsider and increase the maximum number of retail outlets it established before July 24, 2015, and allow for a new license application period and a greater number of retail outlets to be permitted in order to accommodate the medical needs of qualifying patients and designated providers. After January 1, 2017, any reconsideration of the maximum number of retail outlets needed to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients must consider information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database established in RCW 69.51A.230;(3) Determining the maximum quantity of marijuana a marijuana producer may have on the premises of a licensed location at any time without violating Washington state law;(4) Determining the maximum quantities of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products a marijuana processor may have on the premises of a licensed location at any time without violating Washington state law;(5) Determining the maximum quantities of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products a marijuana retailer may have on the premises of a retail outlet at any time without violating Washington state law;(6) In making the determinations required by this section, the state liquor and cannabis board shall take into consideration:(a) Security and safety issues;(b) The provision of adequate access to licensed sources of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products to discourage purchases from the illegal market; and(c) Economies of scale, and their impact on licensees' ability to both comply with regulatory requirements and undercut illegal market prices;(7) Determining the nature, form, and capacity of all containers to be used by licensees to contain marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products, and their labeling requirements;(8) In consultation with the department of agriculture and the department, establishing classes of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products according to grade, condition, cannabinoid profile, THC concentration, CBD concentration, or other qualitative measurements deemed appropriate by the state liquor and cannabis board;(9) Establishing reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions and requirements regarding advertising of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, taking into consideration:(a) Federal laws relating to marijuana that are applicable within Washington state;(b) Minimizing exposure of people under twenty-one years of age to the advertising;(c) The inclusion of medically and scientifically accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by marijuana use in the advertising; and(d) Ensuring that retail outlets with medical marijuana endorsements may advertise themselves as medical retail outlets;(10) Specifying and regulating the time and periods when, and the manner, methods, and means by which, licensees shall transport and deliver marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products within the state;(11) In consultation with the department and the department of agriculture, establishing accreditation requirements for testing laboratories used by licensees to demonstrate compliance with standards adopted by the state liquor and cannabis board, and prescribing methods of producing, processing, and packaging marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products; conditions of sanitation; and standards of ingredients, quality, and identity of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products produced, processed, packaged, or sold by licensees;(12) Specifying procedures for identifying, seizing, confiscating, destroying, and donating to law enforcement for training purposes all marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products produced, processed, packaged, labeled, or offered for sale in this state that do not conform in all respects to the standards prescribed by this chapter or the rules of the state liquor and cannabis board.[ 2019 c 393 § 2; 2018 c 43 § 2; 2015 c 70 § 8; 2013 c 3 § 10 (Initiative Measure No. 502, approved November 6, 2012).]NOTES:Effective date—2019 c 393: "This act takes effect January 1, 2020." [ 2019 c 393 § 6.]Intent—2019 c 393: See note following RCW 69.50.346.Short title—Findings—Intent—References to Washington state liquor control board—Draft legislation—2015 c 70: See notes following RCW 66.08.012.Intent—2013 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 502): See note following RCW 69.50.101.RCW 69.50.345State liquor and cannabis board—Rules—Procedures and criteria. (Effective July 1, 2024.)The state liquor and cannabis board, subject to the provisions of this chapter, must adopt rules that establish the procedures and criteria necessary to implement the following:(1) Licensing of marijuana producers, marijuana processors, and marijuana retailers, including prescribing forms and establishing application, reinstatement, and renewal fees.(a) Application forms for marijuana producers must request the applicant to state whether the applicant intends to produce marijuana for sale by marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements and the amount of or percentage of canopy the applicant intends to commit to growing plants determined by the department under RCW 69.50.375 to be of a THC concentration, CBD concentration, or THC to CBD ratio appropriate for marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products sold to qualifying patients.(b) The state liquor and cannabis board must reconsider and increase limits on the amount of square feet permitted to be in production on July 24, 2015, and increase the percentage of production space for those marijuana producers who intend to grow plants for marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements if the marijuana producer designates the increased production space to plants determined by the department under RCW 69.50.375 to be of a THC concentration, CBD concentration, or THC to CBD ratio appropriate for marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products to be sold to qualifying patients. If current marijuana producers do not use all the increased production space, the state liquor and cannabis board may reopen the license period for new marijuana producer license applicants but only to those marijuana producers who agree to grow plants for marijuana retailers holding medical marijuana endorsements. Priority in licensing must be given to marijuana producer license applicants who have an application pending on July 24, 2015, but who are not yet licensed and then to new marijuana producer license applicants. After January 1, 2017, any reconsideration of the limits on the amount of square feet permitted to be in production to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients must consider information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database established in RCW 69.51A.230;(2) Determining, in consultation with the office of financial management, the maximum number of retail outlets that may be licensed in each county, taking into consideration:(a) Population distribution;(b) Security and safety issues;(c) The provision of adequate access to licensed sources of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products to discourage purchases from the illegal market; and(d) The number of retail outlets holding medical marijuana endorsements necessary to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients. The state liquor and cannabis board must reconsider and increase the maximum number of retail outlets it established before July 24, 2015, and allow for a new license application period and a greater number of retail outlets to be permitted in order to accommodate the medical needs of qualifying patients and designated providers. After January 1, 2017, any reconsideration of the maximum number of retail outlets needed to meet the medical needs of qualifying patients must consider information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database established in RCW 69.51A.230;(3) Determining the maximum quantity of marijuana a marijuana producer may have on the premises of a licensed location at any time without violating Washington state law;(4) Determining the maximum quantities of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products a marijuana processor may have on the premises of a licensed location at any time without violating Washington state law;(5) Determining the maximum quantities of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products a marijuana retailer may have on the premises of a retail outlet at any time without violating Washington state law;(6) In making the determinations required by this section, the state liquor and cannabis board shall take into consideration:(a) Security and safety issues;(b) The provision of adequate access to licensed sources of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products to discourage purchases from the illegal market; and(c) Economies of scale, and their impact on licensees' ability to both comply with regulatory requirements and undercut illegal market prices;(7) Determining the nature, form, and capacity of all containers to be used by licensees to contain marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products, and their labeling requirements;(8) In consultation with the department of agriculture and the department, establishing classes of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products according to grade, condition, cannabinoid profile, THC concentration, CBD concentration, or other qualitative measurements deemed appropriate by the state liquor and cannabis board;(9) Establishing reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions and requirements regarding advertising of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, taking into consideration:(a) Federal laws relating to marijuana that are applicable within Washington state;(b) Minimizing exposure of people under twenty-one years of age to the advertising;(c) The inclusion of medically and scientifically accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by marijuana use in the advertising; and(d) Ensuring that retail outlets with medical marijuana endorsements may advertise themselves as medical retail outlets;(10) Specifying and regulating the time and periods when, and the manner, methods, and means by which, licensees shall transport and deliver marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products within the state;(11) In consultation with the department and the department of agriculture, prescribing methods of producing, processing, and packaging marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products; conditions of sanitation; and standards of ingredients, quality, and identity of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products produced, processed, packaged, or sold by licensees;(12) Specifying procedures for identifying, seizing, confiscating, destroying, and donating to law enforcement for training purposes all marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products produced, processed, packaged, labeled, or offered for sale in this state that do not conform in all respects to the standards prescribed by this chapter or the rules of the state liquor and cannabis board.[ 2019 c 393 § 2; 2019 c 277 § 6; 2018 c 43 § 2; 2015 c 70 § 8; 2013 c 3 § 10 (Initiative Measure No. 502, approved November 6, 2012).]NOTES:Reviser's note: This section was amended by 2019 c 277 § 6 and by 2019 c 393 § 2, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).Effective date—2019 c 393: "This act takes effect January 1, 2020." [ 2019 c 393 § 6.]Intent—2019 c 393: See note following RCW 69.50.346.Effective date—2019 c 277 §§ 2 and 6: See note following RCW 69.50.348.Short title—Findings—Intent—References to Washington state liquor control board—Draft legislation—2015 c 70: See notes following RCW 66.08.012.Intent—2013 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 502): See note following RCW 69.50.101.