I-502

Lottery For Pot Retailers Draws Criticism

Amy Radil — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:47:51 +0000

A random drawing: That’s how the Washington State Liquor Control Board proposes choosing applicants for marijuana retail licenses. And it’s drawing major criticism from existing medical marijuana providers.

DEA Letters "Tap The Brakes" On Legal Marijuana

Amy Radil — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:36:34 +0000

Two weeks ago the federal Drug Enforcement Administration sent cease and desist letters to 11 medical marijuana dispensaries in Seattle. It was the first notable enforcement action in Washington since recreational marijuana was legalized last year. Federal officials say it won’t be the last.

Wash. Bars That Allow Marijuana Use Could Face Penalties

Amy Radil — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:57:13 +0000

Pot possession is now legal in Washington. But city and state regulators are drawing the line at marijuana use in bars and coffee shops.

The 'Known Unknowns' Of Regulating Legalized Marijuana

Jeannie Yandel — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:27:21 +0000

Both Washington and Colorado have passed measures legalizing marijuana. Here in Washington, the Washington State Liquor Control Board is busy hammering out how marijuana will be grown, sold, and regulated. But there are still many questions, from how the federal government will respond to a legal weed market, how to monitor marijuana potency, how to effectively measuring and enforcing marijuana impairment levels in drivers.

For answers, KUOW’s Steve Scher talked with Thomas McLellan, Ph.D. He’s CEO and co-founder of the Treatment Research Institute, and is an internationally known substance abuse researcher and public policy expert. Most recently, he served as deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under the Obama-Biden administration, where he was heavily involved in health care reform.

Interview has been edited for clarity.

Scarce Real Estate For New Marijuana Stores

Amy Radil — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:38:28 +0000

A new state law says you can have a licensed retail store for recreational marijuana, but it can’t be located within 1,000 feet of many facilities: schools, parks, transit centers, arcades, or libraries. In Seattle, that 1,000-foot rule means most of the city is off-limits. Smaller cities may have no eligible sites.

John Davis On The Birth Pangs Of Washington's Cannabis Industry

Jeannie Yandel — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

The Washington State Liquor Control Board holds a public hearing tonight at Seattle’s City Hall on how to implement the state’s new marijuana law. The first one drew a standing room only crowd eager to weigh in on how Washington state should set up its system to license marijuana growers, processors and sellers.

Medical Marijuana Providers Challenge Seattle Licensing In Court

Amy Radil — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:34:34 +0000

Medical marijuana providers are challenging Seattle’s licensing rules in court. They say having to obtain business licenses forces them to incriminate themselves under federal law.

Wash. Liquor Board Has One Year To Catch Up To Pot Legalization

Austin Jenkins — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:45:15 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Pot becomes legal in Washington on Thursday. But state officials have not even begun to write the complicated rules for who can grow it, process it and sell. That year-long process begins Wednesday.

By the end of this week, adult possession of up to one ounce of usable marijuana will no longer be a crime in Washington. But Initiative 502 -- approved by voters in November -- does much more than decriminalize possession.

How To Sell Marijuana Legally, In Four Inconvenient Steps

editor — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:15:00 +0000

On our show yesterday, we talked with John Davis, who runs a legal medical marijuana business in Washington state.

Debating I-502: Should Washington State Legalize Marijuana?

Steve Scher — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Should marijuana be taxed and regulated in Washington state? Initiative 502 would allow for the sale and possession of marijuana for adults over 21. If voters approve I-502, Washington state would be out front in challenging federal marijuana policy. We discuss legalizing pot with Alison Holcomb of New Approach Washington, Douglas Hiatt of Sensible Washington, former DEA administrator Peter Bensinger and former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper.