Want marijuana delivered to your door? Yeah, even the trade group says not yet, Washington
If you dream of a time when a delivery driver will bring you that next cannabis order, suffice it to say we’re still a ways off from that in Washington state.
The Washington CannaBusiness Association on Friday unveiled its list of 2020 legislative priorities. Among those was the recommendation that the state “is not yet ready for direct-to-consumer delivery.”
“Until the (Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board) has strengthened its tracking systems, improved its enforcement and inspection culture and until additional safeguards are in place in terms of more laboratories, the system should not be loosened to allow cannabis delivery,” the group said.
Vicki Christophersen, executive director for WACA, told The News Tribune on Friday, “There are a lot of question marks around structuring delivery and what to do with cash and handling payments.”
As the industry remains all cash amid federal restrictions on banking, “there are safety concerns for drivers,” she said.
There also are concerns that proposals brought forward so far don’t offer enough protection to smaller businesses, particularly in situations where delivery companies might contract with some businesses but not others.
WACA legislative list for 2020
Among other topics and legislative priorities included this year on WACA’s list:
▪ Continued work on transparency about products and production “and to continue to collaborate with elected leaders, law enforcement and regulators to drive the illicit market out of Washington.”
This relates to stricter regulations being considered for the vaping industry in regard to its flavored products. WACA hopes to safeguard terpenes that affect cannabis flavoring, so as not to be defined in the same manner as flavorings used for nicotine products.
▪ Location compliance: WACA seeks to clarify regulations “so that an approved retail license holder’s location cannot be found out of compliance if, after designation as compliant and approved, unforeseen development creates a restriction that was not there at the time of approval,” such as a day care opening nearby.
This would essentially change the process to allow the compliance certification to be issued “at the outset of the process,” Christophersen said.
▪ Cannabis Capital Equity Act: A push last year to allow out-of-state investment in the industry has evolved into broadening the market to improve diversity in its ranks.
“WACA will pursue passage of legislation that strengthens our existing industry by infusing it with new investment and establishing an Equity Fund that will help people representing a diversity of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability,” according to its agenda.
Similar measures have been taken elsewhere, with varying results.
▪ Raising or eliminating the cap on licenses for owners. According to WACA, “This approach would accomplish the goal of increasing canopy limits without increasing the state’s overall canopy and aligning market demand with appropriately located retail locations.”
Currently, retailers can only hold up to five licenses, and producer/processors can only hold up to three.
▪ Adjusting licensing fees to ease the way for small start-ups. “WACA supports adjusting license fees so they align with canopy size, thus accounting for smaller businesses.”
▪ Changing advertising rules: “WACA proposes banning billboard advertising that is highly visible to the passing public in exchange for larger store front signs that help cannabis customers specifically looking for a location.”
▪ Expanding access to CBD products: Allowing for broader CBD sales also was proposed in the 2019 session and is up again for next session’s consideration.
When the original rules were written to limit the types of CBD products that could be sold at cannabis stores, the idea then was “to keep them from becoming mini-convenient stores,” Christophersen noted.
Now, given the popularity in the general marketplace of CBD sales, “We can provide a safe marketplace and testing,” she added, “and we’ve got budtenders who are educated and could provide much more effective information,” to customers.
This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Want marijuana delivered to your door? Yeah, even the trade group says not yet, Washington."
