Washington State Wire via the Cannabis Wire has been monitoring with great interest the movements of new and existing cannabis coalitions as they prepare to lobby the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB). One week before session, three major organizations have emerged:

• On Monday, we posted on the formation of the Northwest Producers and Processors Association (NWPAPA), and their lobbyist hire. The NWPAPA spokesperson and lobbyist commented that they see the state’s craft beer industry as “a good model” for cannabis retail business.
• In December, the Cannabis Business Group (CBG) was formed and the first registered lobbyist was hired to work on I-502 implementation.  Today the paperwork is complete, the mission is set, and CBG has announced they are ready to represent a broad base of producers, processors and retailers of MMJ. The group sees tremendous industry opportunity under recreational use regulations. [See letter below]
• Although focused on public policy affecting patients and their use of cannabis, the eighteen month old Cannabis Coalition for Standards and Ethics (CCSE), is not shy about working the legislative and regulatory process hard.  CCSE has established an open channel with the LCB, and informally is sought out as an experienced resource of growers, processors and users.

There exist many other less organized and diverse MMJ businesses that will watch the LCB process closely as it designs the recreational use market. Soon we expect a formal proposal will be transmitted to the LCB advocating a “clearinghouse” or, as proponents term it, the “Washington Cannabis Exchange.”

There remain three 800-pound-gorillas in the room.  Can the LCB follow the prescription of I-502 and incorporate a new recreational use platform without upsetting MMJ producer/processor/retailer/patient activity? Will the feds stay true to President Obama’s statement that the government has “bigger fish to fry,” and not enforce federal law against the state? And finally, will the diverse groups see their mutual interest best served by uniting in the regulatory arena?

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Good morning,

We hope everyone had a good break over the holidays.

We have spoken to or counseled each and everyone of you on this email list at one time or another over the past two years, whether as an acquaintance, colleague, for referrals, as a potential client, or as full-fledged one. With the passage of I-502, we have become convinced of the necessity for a trustworthy and professional resource for taking advantage of these exciting (and sensitive) times.

We are proud to announce the formation of The Cannabis Business Group (CBG) for cannabis business professionals seeking to operate as I-502 producers, processors, and retailers. We would like to invite you to join the CBG to help cultivate (pun intended) the future of cannabis here in Washington and, eventually, on a national scale. We want to work with you to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a new cannabis industry based on meaningful and intelligent regulations that we can help mold.

We ask that you take a moment to look at the CBG’s website to review the various benefits offered by CBG membership. We want each and every one of you to join with us at CBG and we will be calling you to discuss this further and to answer any questions you may have.  In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact either me or my colleague, Robert McVay, cc’ed above.

Sincerely,

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