marijuana

Marcie Sillman talks with state Senators Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Ann Rivers about their proposals to regulate medical marijuana in Washington state.

When you talk to the state’s licensed growers and sellers of marijuana, you discover that many initially opposed Initiative 502. They favored marijuana legalization, but they didn’t like the details of the initiative itself.

That was the case for Danielle and Juddy Rosellison of Bellingham, Washington. But once voters approved the initiative, Danielle said they jumped right in. 

“We got two mortgages on the two homes that we own," she said. "I called all our credit cards and told them I was going to put a BMW on it and they extended our limits to ridiculous amounts.”

Sharon Foster has many proud milestones from her term as chairwoman of Washington’s Liquor Control Board. She was appointed by Governor Gregoire in 2009 and has helped the state tackle medical marijuana, liquor privatization and legalized recreational marijuana.

“I never intended to ask for another term. I really do believe six years is plenty,” Foster told KUOW’s Marcie Sillman in an interview for The Record. “They'll get somebody younger with new ideas and I think that's great.”

Across Seattle are storefronts with green crosses out front – medical marijuana providers.

Seattle has long been friendly to these businesses, but there’s mounting friction between them and state-licensed stores as lawmakers sort out the state’s new legal marijuana law.

This week, the City of Seattle will hold a symposium on the city’s booming medical marijuana scene. The event comes as city officials are trying to gently rein in these unregulated businesses.

To become the Starbucks of marijuana: That’s an alluring goal for the new entrants in Washington’s legal pot business.

So far, state regulations have kept these businesses small. But even now, some marijuana businesses are ramping up to grow bigger and cross state lines.

Marcie Sillman talks to Christopher Ingraham, reporter for the Washington Post, about the state of the national marijuana legalization movement after the 2014 midterm election.

Marcie Sillman speaks with Sarah Mirk, online editor for Bitch Media, about results from ballot measures in Oregon regarding marijuana legalization and GMO labeling.

Jeannie Yandel talks to Alexandra Gutierrez, state government reporter for Alaska Public Radio, about some of the measures that passed in Alaska after the 2014 mid-term election.

To improve Seattle traffic, what if your child in the backseat no longer gets you into the HOV lane? Good idea? Also: Is Backpage.com liable for sex trafficking through its site? Would expanded gun background checks lead to gun confiscation? And will anyone really give marijuana candy to trick-or-treaters? Really?

Bill Radke’s guests this week: Dan Savage, Rob McKenna and Joni Balter; plus Slate’s Mike Pesca, LiveWire’s Luke Burbank and the NRA’s Catherine Mortensen.

In a parked car, in a neighborhood near downtown, a driver passes a small brown paper bag of marijuana across the front seat. In exchange, the guy in the passenger seat hands over a wad of cash and quickly examines the contents of the bag. 

Boeing reduces local defense jobs, Metro reduces bus cuts and Seattle reduces its plans on the waterfront. Plus: How are you reacting to Ebola’s arrival in the U.S.?

Bill Radke discusses these topics with Crosscut's Knute Berger, KUOW reporter Deborah Wang and Maria LaGanga, Seattle bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times.

About 20 people lined up Tuesday to be the first customers at Ike's Pot Shop at the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Union Street in the Central District. Ike's is the second retail pot store to open in Seattle.

Ross Reynolds speaks with  producer Posey Gruener on the scene at the opening of Seattle's second marijuana retail store, Uncle Ike's Pot Shop on 23rd and Union in the Central District.

Is Seattle going too far by making composting mandatory? Is the Northwest the best place to be in a changing climate? Is Hope Solo distracting you from the real domestic violence problem?

Bill Radke discusses these stories plus torn-up pot tickets, washed-up Mariners (maybe) and glitchy ferry clickers with Eli Sanders, Knute Berger, Joni Balter, Luke Burbank, ESPN’s Jim Caple and UW atmospheric scientist Cliff Mass.