Even If LCB Isn’t Ready, WaCa Will Be
Even though the Liquor Control Board (LCB) has yet to provide a smooth and supplied retail regulatory process for recreational cannabis, the cannabis industry is not waiting to provide a smooth message to policy makers. Washington Cannabusiness Association has announced its formation. The group is new to the cannabis political landscape in one sense; it’s all business. The association’s executive director and governmental affairs manager, Viki Christophersen, is a seasoned veteran of legislative process and regulatory navigation. Not only does she have years of experience participating in the Olympia stew, she has been working the 502 issues since its passage on behalf of well established Washington businesses.
Christopersen sets the tone in her transmittal email, “Let me first assure you that this is not another “networking” group or a media company trying to make money off your dues. WaCA is all business all the time. There will be no red shirts, lawyers, consultants, or other service providers trying to influence you or sell you anything. All of the money will be spent to improve WSLCB regulations and to promote legislative changes that will improve our ability to operate successful growing I-502 businesses.”
WaCA, as they call themselves, is not shy about its goals or mission. Their website explains the issues, the goal and the approach. Between the lines it is clear that they are keenly aware that some type of harmony must come to the conflicting regulatory worlds of Medical Marijuana (MMJ), and our state’s now almost three year old recreational use law, I-502. Frustrated by the slip and slide of the 2014 session, true business interests around recreational cannabis enterprises will gear up for 2015. Most agree that without some resolution between our state’s MMJ and 502, product tracking, product price and availability and for certain, state revenue will remain uncertainties neither the State nor the Feds will allow.
Money Is The Mother’s Milk Of Politics?
Someone said that once. WaCa simply states, “The WaCA PAC will make donations directly to candidates and organizations that support our policy goals.” Someone also said once that in politics, “You are either at the table or you end up on the menu.” WaCa appears to be determined to be at the table in a big way. Their announcement message acknowledges the “void” of organization and presence by I-502 businesses needs to stop, they need to lead, they need to get a chair at the table. They too see 2015 as the big chance to clean up the MMJ law and perhaps merge it with I-502 as Colorado did. WaCa openly discusses the opportunities for I-502 amendments in the 2015 session since it will be the first session since the initiative’s passage. They explain that it will only take a simple majority of votes to change the law. Under Washington’s Constitution, an initiative, passed by the voters, cannot be amended during the first twenty-four months after passage unless the amendments receive at least 2/3’s of the legislator’s votes.
http://wacannabusiness.org/
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