Court Opinion

ID: 9898044
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-14 19:28:03.64535+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:52.432451
License: Public Domain

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                                                                               FILED
                                                                          FEBRUARY 16, 2023
                                                                       In the Office of the Clerk of Court
                                                                      WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

                IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
                                   DIVISION THREE

       LADYHELM FARM, LLC, a Washington )
       Limited Liability Company,       )                     No. 38651-1-III
                                        )
                           Appellant,   )
                                        )
              v.                        )
                                        )                     PUBLISHED OPINION
       WASHINGTON STATE LIQUOR AND      )
       CANNABIS BOARD, an agency of the )
       State,                           )
                                        )
                           Respondent.  )

              STAAB, J. — An officer from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board

       (WSLCB) conducted an unannounced premises check at Ladyhelm Farm, LLC, a

       licensed cannabis producer and processor. Upon finding significant regulatory violations,

       the officer issued a notice of violation to Ladyhelm for failing to meet cannabis

       traceability requirements and immediately seized approximately 1,720 pounds of

       cannabis by placing the cannabis on an “administrative hold.” A few days later, the

       cannabis was removed from Ladyhelm’s facility. The regulatory violations were referred

       to an administrative law judge who granted summary judgment in favor of the WSLCB.

       Ladyhelm appealed to the administrative board for the WSLCB and the superior court,

       and both affirmed. Ladyhelm appeals to this court, arguing that: the Board erred in
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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       affirming the summary judgment order because cannabis is no longer a schedule I

       controlled substance subject to seizure under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act

       (UCSA), ch. 69.50 RCW; WSLCB did not have the authority to seize and destroy the

       cannabis because Ladyhelm was in compliance with the regulations; and the seizure and

       destruction violated Ladyhelm’s due process rights.

                Preliminarily, we decline to address issues raised by Ladyhelm for the first time on

       appeal before the superior court. Aside from the waived issues, we confirm that the

       classification of cannabis as a schedule I controlled substance has not been impliedly

       repealed, and Ladyhelm’s failure to comply with traceability requirements authorized the

       WSLCB to seize the cannabis.

                                             BACKGROUND

                Because this case was decided on the WSLCB’s motion for summary judgment,

       the following facts are set forward in a light most favorable to Ladyhelm, the nonmoving

       party.

                Washington Administrative Code regulations contain requirements that allow the

       WSLCB to oversee and closely control cannabis producers and processors. The

       regulations include detailed traceability requirements for cannabis “[t]o prevent diversion

       and to promote public safety.” WAC 314-55-083(4). Cannabis licensees must provide

       up-to-date specified information on when plants will be partially or fully harvested on an

       electronic traceability system chosen by the WSLCB. Id. “Cannabis seedlings, clones,

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       plants, lots of useable cannabis or trim, leaves, and other plant matter, batches of extracts,

       cannabis-infused products, samples, and cannabis waste must be traceable from

       production through processing, and finally into the retail environment including being

       able to identify which lot was used as base material to create each batch of extracts or

       infused products.” Id.   The traceability regulations also require that “[a]ll cannabis . . .

       must be physically tagged with the unique identifier generated by the traceability system

       and tracked.” WAC 314-55-083(4)(h).

              Ladyhelm was a licensed cannabis producer and processor. A WSLCB

       enforcement officer conducted an unannounced premises check at Ladyhelm. During the

       check, the officer observed large quantities of cannabis without traceability numbers or

       tags, including hundreds of five-pound bags and large amounts of cannabis hanging and

       set on drying tables. At the time of the premises check, the WSLCB traceability system

       stated that Ladyhelm had 843 growing plants and 619 harvested plants. However, there

       were no growing plants at the facility, and all plants had been harvested.

              Due to the large amount of non-compliant cannabis, the officer was unable to deal

       immediately with the violations. The officer consulted with other WSLCB officers and

       decided to place Ladyhelm “into an Administrative Hold until a plan could be formulated

       to deal with the numerous violations and large amounts of untagged product.” Clerk’s

       Papers (CP) at 119. In the officer’s report, he recounts the “administrative hold” as he

       explained it to Ladyhelm’s licensee:

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

              I explained to him that while in the Administrative Hold, Ladyhelm Farms
              [sic] could not manifest, transfer or receive any marijuana product. No
              marijuana was to be moved within the facility, handled or processed.
              Employees could tend to plants or harvested marijuana product only to the
              point of keeping it from molding or spoiling. That no attempts should be
              made to generate traceability tags or enter/delete marijuana product from or
              within the traceability system. This Administrative Hold would remain in
              place until such time as I informed him it had been lifted.

       CP at 119. The officer said in his report that he anticipated returning to seize the

       cannabis within three or four days.

              Four days later, the officer returned to Ladyhelm with additional law enforcement

       personnel and seized approximately 1,720 pounds of cannabis that did not have

       traceability numbers or tags.

              Violation Notice and Subsequent Judicial Decisions

              Eight days after the seizure, the WSLCB issued an administrative violation notice

       to Ladyhelm for failing to maintain traceability requirements. The WSLCB then

       assigned the matter to an administrative law judge (ALJ).

              The WSLCB moved for summary judgment, arguing that there was no genuine

       issue of material fact as to whether Ladyhelm had failed to maintain the traceability of

       the cannabis. Moreover, the WSLCB maintained that it had properly seized the cannabis

       because it was possessed in violation of Washington law. Ladyhelm responded, arguing

       that it kept its own inventory log for cannabis during harvesting that was sufficient to

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       meet traceability requirements. Ladyhelm also argued that the seizure was improper

       because the product was properly logged in Ladyhelm’s inventory record.

              The ALJ granted the WSLCB’s motion for summary judgment. Ladyhelm

       appealed to the Board, and the Board affirmed, adopting the findings and conclusions of

       the ALJ. The Board determined that cannabis was a schedule I controlled substance

       under the UCSA. Accordingly, as a schedule I controlled substance, cannabis possessed

       in violation of Washington law is subject to seizure.

              Further, the Board determined that the WSLCB was authorized to seize and

       destroy cannabis that had not been properly logged or was untraceable under Washington

       law. The Board concluded that the regulations required that all cannabis “in any form

       must be physically tagged and tracked in the traceability system.” CP at 418. The

       traceability system must be updated even where the cannabis is simply being moved

       within the licensed premises. The Board determined that Ladyhelm neither physically

       tagged nor tracked the cannabis in the traceability system as required, and the physical

       logbook Ladyhelm said it had maintained did not satisfy the traceability requirements.

       The Board concluded that Ladyhelm’s possession of the cannabis violated the

       regulations; therefore, the cannabis was subject to seizure under RCW 69.50.505(1)(a).

              Ladyhelm then appealed to the superior court. Before the superior court,

       Ladyhelm argued for the first time that the seizure of the cannabis was improper because

       the WSLCB failed to follow the process for seizure under an administrative hold as

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       outlined in the regulations. Ladyhelm also argued for the first time that the seizure

       violated its due process rights. After the WSLCB stated in its response that the seized

       cannabis had been destroyed, Ladyhelm also argued that the destruction of the cannabis

       was improper because the WSLCB did not comply with the administrative hold process.

       The superior court affirmed the Board.

              Ladyhelm appeals.

                                                ANALYSIS

       1.     STANDARD OF REVIEW

              This court’s review of the Board’s final order is governed by Washington’s

       Administrative Procedure Act (APA), ch. 34.05 RCW. RCW 34.05.570; Top Cat Enter.,

       LLC v. City of Arlington, 11 Wn. App. 2d 754, 759, 455 P.3d 225 (2020). We review

       legal determinations under the “error of law” standard. Verizon Nw., Inc. v. Wash.

       Employ. Sec. Dep’t, 164 Wn.2d 909, 194 P.3d 255 (2008). The error of law standard

       permits this court to substitute its view of the law for that of the Board but also requires it

       to “accord substantial weight to an agency’s interpretation of a statute within its expertise

       and to an agency’s interpretation of rules that the agency promulgated.” Id. at 915

       (citation omitted).

              “[W]here the original administrative decision was on summary judgment, the

       reviewing court must overlay the APA standard of review with the summary judgment

       standard.” Id. at 916. Under this combined standard, we view the facts in the light most

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       favorable to the nonmoving party and affirm the summary judgment order only where the

       moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law based on the facts viewed in this

       light. Id. This court evaluates the facts de novo, and the review of the law is evaluated

       based on the error of law standard explained above. Id.

       2.     ISSUES RAISED FOR THE FIRST TIME

              Ladyhelm raised several arguments for the first time on appeal to the superior

       court. As a preliminary matter, we must determine whether those issues are properly

       before this court. Ladyhelm argues that this court should address the arguments that it

       failed to raise before the Board because the arguments fall into two exceptions outlined

       under the APA.

              With a few exceptions, under the APA, “Issues not raised before the agency may

       not be raised on appeal.” RCW 34.05.554(1). “This rule is more than simply a technical

       rule of appellate procedure; instead, it serves an important policy purpose in protecting

       the integrity of administrative decision[-]making.” King County v. Wash. State Boundary

       Rev. Bd., 122 Wn.2d 648, 668, 860 P.2d 1024 (1993).

              One exception is where “[t]he agency action subject to judicial review is an order

       and the person was not notified of the adjudicative proceeding in substantial compliance

       with this chapter.” RCW 34.05.554(1)(c). Another exception occurs where “[t]he

       interests of justice would be served by resolution of an issue arising from . . . [a]gency

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

       action occurring after the person exhausted the last feasible opportunity for seeking relief

       from the agency.” RCW 34.05.554(1)(d)(ii).

              Ladyhelm’s first unpreserved argument is that the seizure and destruction of the

       cannabis was improper because the WSLCB did not follow the procedures for an

       administrative hold. Ladyhelm’s second unpreserved argument is that the seizure and

       destruction of the cannabis violated Ladyhelm’s due process rights.

              Ladyhelm argues that this court should consider its additional arguments under

       RCW 34.05.554(1)(c) because it never received a final agency order as required to

       destroy cannabis subject to an administrative hold. Ladyhelm seeks review of an order

       that is not part of the record before this court. Even if this court were to find that this

       exception applies, it would not be possible for us to review an order that is not part of the

       record. Accordingly, we decline to consider Ladyhelm’s additional arguments under

       RCW 34.05.554(1)(c).

              Ladyhelm also argues that this court should consider the arguments under RCW

       34.05.554(1)(d)(ii) because Ladyhelm was not notified that the cannabis had been

       destroyed until it received the WSLCB’s brief in superior court. Although Ladyhelm

       may not have known about the destruction until it received the WSLCB’s brief, its

       arguments relate to both the seizure and the destruction of the cannabis, and Ladyhelm

       had been aware of the seizure throughout this case.

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

              Moreover, apart from a citation to the WSLCB’s superior court brief, Ladyhelm

       does not provide argument or support for its assertion that its arguments fall into the

       exceptions provided by RCW 34.05.554(1)(d)(ii). See RAP 10.3(a); State v. Brewster, 75

       Wn.2d 137, 139, 449 P.2d 685 (1969) (court not required to consider argument

       unsupported by citation to authority and that does not appear on its face to be

       meritorious). The record is not developed on this point and does not clearly support

       Ladyhelm’s assertion that it did not learn of the destruction of the cannabis until

       receiving the WSLCB’s superior court brief. Further, Ladyhelm does not explain how it

       has exhausted its “last feasible opportunity for seeking relief” from the WSLCB or why it

       cannot bring a separate action for the destruction of the cannabis. We decline to address

       the arguments Ladyhelm did not make before the Board under RCW 34.05.554(1)(d)(ii).

       3.     WHETHER CANNABIS REMAINS A SCHEDULE I CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

              The Washington Legislature classified cannabis as a schedule I controlled

       substance under the UCSA. As a schedule I controlled substance, cannabis is subject to

       seizure under RCW 69.50.505(12) unless it is possessed in compliance with the

       regulations. Ladyhelm argues that the seizure of its cannabis was not authorized by this

       statute because the classification has been impliedly repealed by the legislature’s

       authorization of recreational cannabis use. We disagree.

              We review interpretation of statutes de novo. State v. Hanson, 138 Wn. App. 322,

       328, 157 P.3d 438 (2007). Washington law strongly disfavors the implied repeal of

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       statutes. Id. “‘The legislature is presumed to be aware of its own enactments.’” Id.

       (quoting Amalgamated Transit Union Legis. Council v. State, 145 Wn.2d 544, 552, 40

       P.3d 656 (2002)).

              There are two ways implied repeal can occur. Id. “First, the subject matter of the

       subsequent legislation must cover the entire scope of the earlier one.” Id. “Or second,

       the legislative acts can be so inconsistent that they cannot be reconciled to give effect to

       both.” Id.

              Additionally, there are two methods through which a substance may be classified

       as schedule I. A substance is designated as a schedule I controlled substance either

       because the pharmacy commission has found that the substance

              (1) has a high potential for abuse; (2) has no currently accepted medical use
              in treatment in the United States; and (3) lacks accepted safety for use in
              treatment under medical supervision. [Or the commission may designate a
              substance as schedule I] if the substance is controlled under Schedule I of
              the federal Controlled Substances Act by a federal agency as the result of
              an international treaty, convention, or protocol.

       RCW 69.50.203.

              Outside of these two methods, the state legislature has designated cannabis as a

       schedule I controlled substance under the UCSA. Seeley v. State, 132 Wn.2d 776, 784,

       940 P.2d 604 (1997). However, the pharmacy commission has the authority to change

       the designation under the UCSA. RCW 69.50.201; Id.

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       No. 38651-1-III
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              Ladyhelm argues that, by implication, the legislature’s classification of cannabis

       as a schedule I controlled substance has been repealed. It maintains that the legislature’s

       explicit finding in the Washington State Medical Use of Cannabis Act, ch. 69.51A RCW,

       that cannabis has accepted medical uses is not reconcilable with the classification of

       cannabis as a schedule I substance.1

              In Hanson, this court addressed a similar issue, whether the Medical Cannabis Act

       implicitly repealed the statutory classification of cannabis as a schedule I controlled

       substance. 138 Wn. App. at 328. The appellant argued that the Medical Cannabis Act

       implicitly concluded that cannabis has or may have some medical use, running directly

       contrary to the requirement that a classification of a substance as schedule I be based on a

       “finding that the substance ‘has no currently accepted medical use in treatment’ and

       ‘lacks accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervision.’” Id. (quoting

       RCW 69.50.203(a)(2), (3)).

              The court in Hanson determined that “the subject matter of the Medical

       [Cannabis] Act does not cover the entire scope of . . . [the UCSA] nor was it meant to.”

       Id. at 328-29. “The purpose of the Medical [Cannabis] Act is to allow patients with

              1
                Ladyhelm also argues that changes to the status of cannabis under a United
       Nations convention and “current pending federal legislation” supports a determination
       that the schedule I status has been impliedly repealed. Br. of Appellant at 49. However,
       Ladyhelm fails to cite any authority to support its claim that Washington law allows
       implied repeal through either United Nations conventions or pending legislation.

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       terminal or debilitating illness to legally use [cannabis] when authorized by their

       physician.” Id. at 329. The statute recognizes that cannabis may provide some relief for

       certain diseases.

              Additionally, the court pointed out that the statute “only provides an affirmative

       defense to the drug crime” and was not inconsistent with the schedule I classification

       because it did not negate the elements of the crime, rather it excused the conduct. Id. at

       330-31. Accordingly, the court determined that the Medical Cannabis Act did not

       impliedly repeal the classification of cannabis as a schedule I controlled substance. Id. at

       332.

              Ladyhelm argues that the Medical Cannabis Act, combined with the creation of a

       regulatory system for the recreational use of cannabis, impliedly repeals cannabis’

       schedule I classification. However, Ladyhelm points to no specific provisions that would

       create an implied repeal. Instead, it seems to argue that Hanson was wrongly decided

       because it specifically stated that patients with specific ailments may benefit from the

       medical use of cannabis. However, Washington law strongly disfavors an implied repeal,

       and as Hanson explained, this is insufficient to establish such. Moreover, the legislature

       has also added provisions to the UCSA explaining how the statute interacts with the

       recreational regulation of cannabis, demonstrating an intent that the two statutes remain

       compatible. See RCW 69.50.366, .325(1). Accordingly, we disagree with Ladyhelm’s

       argument.

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       No. 38651-1-III
       Ladyhelm Farm, LLC v. Wash. State Liquor & Cannabis Bd.

              Ladyhelm also argues that under State v. Dougall, 89 Wn.2d 118, 570 P.2d 135

       (1977), the provision allowing the “pharmacy board” to change the designation of

       cannabis as a controlled substance violates the due process clause of the Fourteenth

       Amendment to the United States Constitution. At issue in Dougall was a Washington

       statute stating that if any substance was designated, rescheduled, or deleted as a

       controlled substance in the federal register, that action would similarly apply under

       Washington law unless the pharmacy commission took action within 30 days. Id. at 120.

              Ultimately, the Supreme Court held that the statute authorizing a substance to be

       designated as a controlled substance simply by publication in the federal register and

       acquiescence or inaction by the pharmacy commission was an unconstitutional delegation

       of legislative authority. Id. at 123. The court determined that “[w]hile the legislature

       may enact statutes which adopt existing federal rules, regulations, or statutes, legislation

       which attempts to adopt or acquiesce in future federal rules, regulations, or statutes is an

       unconstitutional delegation of legislative power and thus void.” Id. at 122-23.

              The legislature has affirmatively classified cannabis as a schedule I controlled

       substance. In doing so, it gave the pharmacy commission the ability to change this

       classification and stipulated to the factors that should be considered. Nothing in Dougall

       prohibits the legislature from taking affirmative action to classify a substance. Thus,

       Dougall does not apply.

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       No. 38651-1-III
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              Accordingly, we determined that the classification of cannabis as a schedule I

       controlled substance has not been impliedly repealed.

       4.     WHETHER THE WSLCB HAD THE AUTHORITY TO SEIZE AND DESTROY THE
              CANNABIS

              Ladyhelm challenges the seizure of its cannabis, arguing that even if cannabis is

       still a schedule I controlled substance, Ladyhelm complied with the traceability

       requirements, and thus the WSLCB did not have the authority to seize and destroy the

       cannabis.

              Washington Administrative Code regulations detail traceability requirements for

       cannabis “[t]o prevent diversion and to promote public safety.” WAC 314-55-083(4).

       Cannabis licensees are required to provide the specified information on a system chosen

       by the WSLCB. Id. “Cannabis seedlings, clones, plants, lots of useable cannabis or trim,

       leaves, and other plant matter, batches of extracts, cannabis-infused products, samples,

       and cannabis waste must be traceable from production through processing, and finally

       into the retail environment including being able to identify which lot was used as base

       material to create each batch of extracts or infused products.” Id.

              The required information for traceability must be kept “completely up-to-date.”

       Id. This includes information on when plants will be partially or fully harvested. WAC

       314-55-083(4)(b). Traceability also requires that “[a]ll cannabis . . . must be physically

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       tagged with the unique identifier generated by the traceability system and tracked.”

       WAC 314-55-083(4)(h).

              In certain situations, “The WSLCB may seize, destroy, confiscate, or place an

       administrative hold on cannabis, useable cannabis, cannabis concentrates, and cannabis-

       infused products.” WAC 314-55-210. This includes “[a]ny product not properly logged

       in inventory records or untraceable product required to be in the traceability system.”

       WAC 314-55-210(2). Additionally, “The WSLCB may destroy any cannabis, cannabis

       concentrate, useable cannabis, and/or cannabis-infused products in its possession that is

       not identifiable through the Washington cannabis traceability system or otherwise in a

       form that is not compliant with Washington’s cannabis statutes or rules.” WAC 314-55-

       210(5).

              Washington law exempts licensed cannabis producers, in compliance with the

       rules adopted by the WSLCB, from criminal or civil liability for the production, delivery,

       distribution, and sale of cannabis. RCW 69.50.366.

              Ladyhelm argues that the WSLCB did not have authority to seize and destroy the

       cannabis because the requirement that traceability be “completely up-to-date” does not

       necessarily mean contemporaneous and must be understood in the context of the process

       to which the requirement is applied. Moreover, Ladyhelm maintains that if cannabis is

       traceable, it may not be seized even though it is untagged.

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              As explained above, under the plain error standard of review, we are required to

       give substantial deference to the Board’s interpretation of the law in this area because

       cannabis law is an area that falls within the Board’s expertise. The Board concluded that

       to comply with the regulations, all cannabis “in any form must be physically tagged and

       tracked in the traceability system.” CP at 417. The traceability system must be updated

       even where the cannabis is simply being moved within the licensed premises. The Board

       determined that Ladyhelm neither physically tagged nor tracked the cannabis in the

       traceability system as required, and the inventory log that Ladyhelm said it had

       maintained did not satisfy the requirements. Accordingly, the Board determined that

       because the cannabis was not possessed in compliance with the rules adopted by the

       WSLCB, the property was properly seized under RCW 69.50.505(1)(a).

              Ladyhelm does not dispute that some of its cannabis was untagged and not

       properly logged in the traceability system specified by the WSLCB. Instead, it maintains

       that it kept information required for traceability in a logbook, which was sufficient for

       compliance with the regulations. Accordingly, Ladyhelm maintains that the WSLCB did

       not have the authority to seize the cannabis because the cannabis was actually traceable.

              The Board determined that an inventory log is insufficient to comply with the law

       and regulations and that traceability requirements are not suspended during harvest. We

       agree with the Board’s interpretation and application of the regulations. As a result, even

       though Ladyhelm may have been able to trace the cannabis using its logbook, there is no

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       genuine issue of material fact that it failed to comply with traceability requirements in the

       WSLCB system and also failed to tag the cannabis. Thus, under the statutes and

       regulations, the WSLCB was authorized to seize and destroy the cannabis.

              Ladyhelm argues that the meaning of the requirement that traceability in the

       WSLCB specified system be kept “completely up-to-date” should be understood in the

       context of the process to which the traceability requirements are being applied. Without

       specifying, Ladyhelm argues that some of the information in the traceability system

       cannot be provided until harvesting is complete. However, Ladyhelm does not explain

       how or whether this prevented Ladyhelm from entering the information it could provide

       into the traceability system or how they were prevented from tagging the cannabis.

              Finally, Ladyhelm argues that the seizure and the destruction of the cannabis was

       not authorized because the WSLCB placed an administrative hold on the cannabis, and

       once an administrative hold was placed, the WSLCB was required to follow the

       procedures of the administrative hold. As we noted above, this issue was not raised

       before the Board and we decline to address it in this opinion.

              There is no genuine issue of material fact regarding whether the WSLCB had

       authority to seize and destroy the cannabis because it was not properly tagged and

       traceable in the online system.

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             We affirm the Board’s entry of summary judgment for the WSLCB.

                                               _________________________________
                                                       Staab, J.

       WE CONCUR:

       _________________________________
             Siddoway, C.J.

       _________________________________
             Pennell, J.

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