Washington Medical Mess? Not really: Washington decides not to shut down dispensaries

Enchantre

Oil Painter
BEST news I've had all day!
My sources "inside" were as flabbergasted as I that it even made it that far, as MMJ is regulated, via the RCW 69.51a

There are collectives & access points which have state business licenses, and who do remit sales tax on the donations received - many have signs that affirm this. That article made it sound like all MMJ is off the grid entirely, which is so not true. Sure, plenty of them are, but making it easier for them to get licensed, and then they would be even less likely for Fed raids, right?

mod note: This post seems out of context because threads were merged. It is actually response to post #27
 
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That's great that the title of this thread actually is accurate! Now if @Jambi619 edits everything they wrote in their OP, it might be too.

Hats off to washingtonstatewire for not delaying publication until LATER IN THE DAY to see if the law actually fucking passed!


This thread is a (lesser) duplicate of an existing thread:
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/washington-medical-mess.11212/
 
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Snake Plissken

Transcendentalist
Passed or not, it shows the legislators goal to fuck medical patients so as to increase profit and limit any competition. According to the article, your seattle democratic rep wants to kill all medical disps. Just because it hasn't come crashing down yet, seems to make many feel safe. So many sit on the sidelines claiming everything will be just fine, because that's how pot smokers want it to be. Personally, it would worry me that these legislators have made it abundantly clear what their goals and desires are.

I've heard recent arguments comparing Wa and Co recreational setups. At least it seems like Co reps and legislators were behind the move - not going out of their way to sabotage their constituents votes like Wa.
 

Jambi619

Cannabis Crusader
That's great that the title of this thread actually is accurate! Now if @Jambi619 edits everything they wrote in their OP, it might be too.

Hats off to washingtonstatewire for not delaying publication until LATER IN THE DAY to see if the law actually fucking passed!


This thread is a (lesser) duplicate of an existing thread:
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/washington-medical-mess.11212/
That info is direct from the article. Maybe instead of criticism you could contribute additional info?

Item number three on the did-not-pass list: a plan to roll Washington’s medical marijuana market into the state’s new, recreational pot marketplace. Republican State Senator Ann Rivers, one of the lead proponents of this merger, says Washington’s current unregulated medical marijuana industry is an invitation for federal intervention.

“We’re not showing a good faith effort to get it under control so the feds have nothing to judge us by.”

But Democrat Roger Goodman in the Washington House believes it was premature to change the medical marijuana system and it would have hurt patients. He wants to wait a year and isn’t worried about the feds sweeping in.

http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr...-with-no-action-on-medical-marijuana-gas-tax/
 
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sasNW

Well-Known Member
Passed or not, it shows the legislators goal to fuck medical patients so as to increase profit and limit any competition. According to the article, your seattle democratic rep wants to kill all medical disps. Just because it hasn't come crashing down yet, seems to make many feel safe. So many sit on the sidelines claiming everything will be just fine, because that's how pot smokers want it to be. Personally, it would worry me that these legislators have made it abundantly clear what their goals and desires are.

I've heard recent arguments comparing Wa and Co recreational setups. At least it seems like Co reps and legislators were behind the move - not going out of their way to sabotage their constituents votes like Wa.

Is there anyone reading this that really believes any government cares more about you then money??? I really hope not

I agree and disagree with you. I agree that no one should feel safe that their government is going to just take care of you, that's blatantly obvious. We all need to work on making this the way it should be, it's going to be a long road but hopefully it will be paved with "green bricks" by the end.

But the fact that one bill, that did not pass, does not make this a losing battle. If anything IMO it shows that a majority of the people aren't willing to go the "easy route" and kill mmj like we've all been afraid of. For the last year we've been told we have no chance because the liquor control board said so.... Yet here we are.

If anything I hope this wakes up a few people to realize Washington really can do this. I'm not saying it's overnight going to top Colorado but we just made a big step in the right direction.

I have no doubt we will hear of a new bill to kill mmj soon enough, but for now let's enjoy a big FU to the liquor control board by stopping by our favorite co-op

Sorry for the randomness, I'm running around my work but felt like I should post something
 

Snake Plissken

Transcendentalist
I don't think that this is either a losing battle or that wa hasn't made great strides. When we are talking states rights vs federal law, the fact that there are so many legislative opponents IN the state is definitely a concern though. What I argue against mostly is complacency and blind trust. You are right: it is not about one bill, rather the intentions and goals of these legislators. They will be back to the voting table, getting an earful from lobbyists, leo, the religious right and whoever else lines their pockets - long after most proponents have settled into complacency.

Washington, like Oregon, is mostly rural w/ typical rural mindsets. The people who live in the very few populated cities sometimes tend to think that the rest of the state believes as they do. Still, wa is ahead of most all states in passing recreational use.
 
That info is direct from the article. Maybe instead of criticism you could contribute additional info?
The information you have posted is old and outdated, and therefore not factual. There is no reason to discuss the negative effects of a law that did not pass. I had already posted that the law is dead last night, it was pointed out to you again by sasNW and myself in this thread.
 

sasNW

Well-Known Member
I don't think that this is either a losing battle or that wa hasn't made great strides. When we are talking states rights vs federal law, the fact that there are so many legislative opponents IN the state is definitely a concern though. What I argue against mostly is complacency and blind trust. You are right: it is not about one bill, rather the intentions and goals of these legislators. They will be back to the voting table, getting an earful from lobbyists, leo, the religious right and whoever else lines their pockets - long after most proponents have settled into complacency.

Washington, like Oregon, is mostly rural w/ typical rural mindsets. The people who live in the very few populated cities sometimes tend to think that the rest of the state believes as they do. Still, wa is ahead of most all states in passing recreational use.

I could not agree more, well said sir
 
sasNW,

Jambi619

Cannabis Crusader
The information you have posted is old and outdated, and therefore not factual. There is no reason to discuss the negative effects of a law that did not pass. I had already posted that the law is dead last night, it was pointed out to you again by sasNW and myself in this thread.
Yesterday is outdated? I found it this morning and didn't realize there was already a thread on it. I'm not located in WA, I was simply forwarding the story and corrected/updated the thread I started. No need to be dick dude.

In other news, I found this tid bit on the licensure process under 502:

Washington state has been asking for nearly a year if the FBI would conduct background checks on its applicants, to no avail. The bureau's refusal raises the possibility that people with troublesome criminal histories could wind up with pot licenses in the state — undermining the department's own priorities in ensuring that states keep a tight rein on the nascent industry.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4963271
 
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Jambi619,
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grokit

well-worn member
:tup::tup:
An update...

Medical Marijuana Bill Dies in Washington State
By KIRK JOHNSONMARCH 14, 2014
MARIJUANA-master675.jpg

Medical marijuana at a dispensary in Seattle. Many medical marijuana dispensaries and users opposed new regulations. Credit Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times

SEATTLE — Legislation aimed at bringing Washington State’s largely unregulated medical marijuana system under state control, which state officials have said is crucial to maintaining order as the legalized sale of recreational marijuana begins this year, died late Thursday night without a vote as the House and Senate adjourned.

“I’m taken aback,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, after the Legislature concluded its regular session for the year with the legislation still on the calendar. “Many people at the last moment apparently did not want a bill.”

Many medical marijuana dispensaries and patients had opposed the new regulations, fearing that their system could be crushed by the commercial market and intrusive government oversight. But sponsors and supporters said the regulations would protect patients by giving them greater assurance of access to the medicinal strains they want, and by possibly reducing the risk of federal prosecution. The United States Justice Department has said it will allow a legal marijuana marketplace, approved by voters here and in Colorado in 2012, only if is it tightly regulated by the states.

Ultimately, however, the bill, a version of which has passed in the Senate, died in the House in a fight over taxes. Some lawmakers, led by Republicans, wanted to amend the bill to distribute more of the anticipated revenue from marijuana sales from the state to local governments.

Another last-day amendment would have essentially thrown medical sales into the recreational stores with little or no special provision for medical users. Retail recreational sale is expected to begin here in June.

As the fight raged, a trade group representing mainly medical marijuana interests, the Washington Cannabis Association, persuaded enough lawmakers to stop passage and hope for a better bill next year. The law that legalized sale of recreational marijuana, known as I-502, also includes language that makes it hard for the Legislature to amend, requiring a two-thirds majority, at least this year.

“Everybody said, ‘We’ll take our chances for the next year without a change in law,’ ” said Ezra Eickmeyer, the association’s political director.

A leading sponsor of the regulation bill, 5887, Senator Ann Rivers, a Republican, said the opponents’ victory in killing her bill might be a Pyrrhic one. “Fear is a powerful motivating factor, and they felt like 5887 was something that we were doing to them instead of for them,” Ms. Rivers said, referring to medical marijuana users and dispensary owners. “The reality is we can’t do nothing; we must do something.”

She said she feared that a simple majority next year might pass a law that those opponents would like even less than the bill that died.

One of the lawmakers who backed an expanded revenue-sharing system as part of the regulatory bill, Representative Cary Condotta, a Republican, said he thought it came down to fairness. A wave of resistance to marijuana businesses in some rural and more conservative parts of the state, he said, is partly about the worries that local governments could face higher costs in overseeing or policing marijuana, without getting much help from the state. He said he would continue that fight next year.

The Legislature is not scheduled to return until next year, unless called back into special session by the governor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/medical-marijuana-bill-dies-in-washington-state.html?_r=1
 
^ A decent, semi-non bullshit article. Nice post G. One part needs a lil translating though:
NYT article said:
One of the lawmakers who backed an expanded revenue-sharing system as part of the regulatory bill, Representative Cary Condotta, a Republican, said he thought it came down to fairness. A wave of resistance to marijuana businesses in some rural and more conservative parts of the state, he said, is partly about the worries that local governments could face higher costs in overseeing or policing marijuana, without getting much help from the state. He said he would continue that fight next year.
It actually comes down to lil piggies wanting to have their cake, and eat it too. Certain hick bergs want to spit in the face of the voters by banning weed shops. But they also want a law in place guaranteeing they get a cut of the proceeds from other cities selling it. Their police costs will naturally escalate WITH FEWER PEOPLE TO ARREST, PROSECUTE AND JAIL. :lol:

I personally believe this is the only reason that the Republicans "saved the day".
 
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mrboote,
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CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
It is now spring 2015 and Washington state legislatures is threatening again to take our cannabis dispensaries away from us. Please if you live in WA call your representative and ask them to vote no on Senate Bill 5052 if they do not include the amendments. This bill is not good as is if you use cannabis and are a medical patient. Our prices will go up considerably and you may not be able to get the medicine that you need for your condition. Also if you belong to a collective garden those will be elimated.

Click here to send an email to your Representatives asking them to vote YES on the Patient Protection amendment (5052-S2 AMH APPL BLAC 080). Without this amendment included in the final House version of the bill, we are asking Representatives to vote NO on SB 5052.

EDIT
Exactly @grokit! That's what I said in my emails to the 20+ representatives that I sent. The bottom line is the money not the needs of the medical cannabis patients. They're balancing the budget of the state with the profits from taxes from cannabis without any concern for who it will hurt.

@Vicki our law makers are greedy. They want the taxes from cannabis to pay for everything, like schools and roads. My price for my medicine will triple at least. I can get my medicine for $5 a gram. It's $18 plus at the state stores.
 
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Vicki

Herbal Alchemist
It is now spring 2015 and Washington state legislatures is threatening again to take our cannabis dispensaries away from us. Please if you live in WA call your representative and ask them to vote no on Senate Bill 5052. This bill is not good if you use cannabis and are a medical patient. Our prices will go up considerably and you may not be able to get the medicine that you need for your condition. Also if you belong to a collective garden those will be elimated.

Click here to send an email to your Representatives asking them to vote YES on the Patient Protection amendment (5052-S2 AMH APPL BLAC 080). Without this amendment included in the final House version of the bill, we are asking Representatives to vote NO on SB 5052.

Why are they doing this??
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
Apparently a licensed physician has independently tested recreational marijuana purchased from two different legal pot shops. Now it’s obvious that one of those pot shops was Uncle Ike’s.

According to the independent test results, there are over 240 pesticides being used to grow recreational marijuana and none of the testing labs are providing these results.


I am able to get organic cannabis and I can talk with the growers now. I won't be able to do that or get organic cannabis if the above bill passes - SB5052. These lawmakers are representing us.
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
Washington Governor Signs Bill to Close Dispensaries, Reduce Patients’ Rights
News

April 24, 2015

by TheJointBlog


Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed Senate Bill 5052 into law, a proposal that will lead to the closure of every medical cannabis dispensary in the state, while implementing a patient registry and drastically reducing the amount of cannabis a patient can possess and cultivate. Senate Bill 5052 requires all currently operating medical cannabis dispensaries …

 

Vicki

Herbal Alchemist
Washington Governor Signs Bill to Close Dispensaries, Reduce Patients’ Rights
News

April 24, 2015

by TheJointBlog


Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed Senate Bill 5052 into law, a proposal that will lead to the closure of every medical cannabis dispensary in the state, while implementing a patient registry and drastically reducing the amount of cannabis a patient can possess and cultivate. Senate Bill 5052 requires all currently operating medical cannabis dispensaries …

:disgust:
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Capitalism at its absolute worst: Impose outdated, ass-backward legislation (wrapped up in outdated ass-backward ideology) to do one thing: steel the business away from the grass roots who got it to where it is today (and who serve the people btw), and give that business to corporates who serve only themselves and already have all the money and all the power. No end to greed, the genitor of all sin. There are indeed sick people who walk among us. The People of WA need to organize and take it straight to this "governor."
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
It seems like the bottom line is the money that cannabis will generate for the state not the needs of the patients. Many have been working hard opposing this legislation but the lawmakers weren't listening to the needs of the sick.

We have referendums in the state of Washington unlike some other parts of the U.S. That's how we achieved legal cannabis in the first place.

This is devasting legislation for those envolved in growing and selling medical cannabis. Money will get you everything in this state. The legal cannabis stores had the lawyers and the money to fuck up the needs of medical patients.

Those that back dispensaries and medical cannabis will be organizing for sure. I know I will donate $ towards this worthy cause and many others will too.

I've heard through the grapevine that things have been in the process to oppose senate bill 5052 legally for a while. Our Governor had already said he would approve whatever the legislature came up with basically. The medical cannabis community figured that this legislation would pass. This isn't the end of it.
 
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