An effort by state regulators to rein in sales of out-of-state cannabis has some major business interests crying foul.
The Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board has requested a change in the law that would enable it to prohibit the sale of intoxicating materials derived from hemp. The request comes on the heels of rulemaking started last year after it was discovered that some retailers were selling products produced from hemp, which, unlike marijuana, is legal under federal law.
Producers in the state argue that the ban is necessary to avoid an existential crisis for their businesses, as hemp producers can provide raw material for pennies on the dollar, compared to licensed marijuana producers that must adhere to a costly set of state regulations.
But at least one major cannabis industry trade organization has offered its own legislation in rebuttal to the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s plan, saying the state will stifle growth in an industry that produces tens of millions of dollars in excise tax revenue each month.
“This is going to be the big battle royale this year,” said Chris Marr, a former state legislator and Liquor and Cannabis Board member who now consults with clients in Washington’s legal marijuana marketplace. [Read more at The Seattle Times]
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