Washington State Cannabis News

[macbill]

a continuation of FC Thread

COVID-19 delays mandatory pesticide testing for Washington state recreational cannabis

The coronavirus pandemic has scuttled government efforts in Washington state to require pesticide testing for recreational marijuana, dealing a setback to an idea that has been kicked around for several years by local industry officials and regulators.

As a resident, I thought our Rec industry was tested. My stupid.

 

[Relaxed]

a continuation of FC Thread

COVID-19 delays mandatory pesticide testing for Washington state recreational cannabis

The coronavirus pandemic has scuttled government efforts in Washington state to require pesticide testing for recreational marijuana, dealing a setback to an idea that has been kicked around for several years by local industry officials and regulators.

As a resident, I thought our Rec industry was tested. My stupid.

Many of the growers in WA publish what or if they use pesticides, and there are quite a few that really focus on producing great products without any pesticides. While I would much rather have everything tested, I stick with the growers that are doing it the right way.

 

[yogurtsauce]

I bought an oz from Blazed. Previous batches no pesticides. This batch has “possible” mite killer and mite preventative. I can definitely notice a headache.

okanogan farms is solid. So is Quincy green

 

[Gunky]

Might be worth seeing if you can become a WA state medical user and then you could grow up to six plants. It's nice to know what is going into your cannabis and feel confident that it is clean and safe. Eventually these commercial growers will get their act together but in the meantime... (shakes head).

 

[acolyte]

Yeah, the whole pesticide situation is whack. Finding information on pesticides, which farms use pesticides, etc, is very difficult.

Recently I got burned buying a Canna Organix product. From their website: https://www.cannaorganix.com/about-us

Growing in the heart of the 'Olympic Rain Shadow,' a region on the Olympic Peninsula that receives only 16 inches of rain a year and 250 days of sunshine creates an ideal climate for producing cannabis naturally without the use of chemical pesticides.

(emphasis mine)

But the product I purchased does use neem oil and mineral oil. I'm not a hippy, I'm concerned with possible unknown health problems from vaporizing natural compounds as well.

Does anyone here know of any good farms producing high quality dabbable concentrates with ZERO pesticide use? I can find pesticide-free flower but dabs not as much. I'm in SW WA.

 

[C No Ego]

Yeah, the whole pesticide situation is whack. Finding information on pesticides, which farms use pesticides, etc, is very difficult.

Recently I got burned buying a Canna Organix product. From their website: https://www.cannaorganix.com/about-us
(emphasis mine)

But the product I purchased does use neem oil and mineral oil. I'm not a hippy, I'm concerned with possible unknown health problems from vaporizing natural compounds as well.

Does anyone here know of any good farms producing high quality dabbable concentrates with ZERO pesticide use? I can find pesticide-free flower but dabs not as much. I'm in SW WA.

WTF does hippy have to do with Health ? Azadaratckin is made from Nem oil and is a pesticide ... it has been shown to cause cannabis hypermesis syndorme effects in first time users ... considered safe and organic ... maybe the people putting that on plants should dab some pure neem oil first and see effects

 

[acolyte]

I meant to say, "the reason I want pesticide-free is to avoid health complications, and I don't trust natural compounds to be any safer than chemical pesticides"

Some hippies around here think everything is okay as long as it's organic, they don't realize eg cyanide I haven't seen any definitive info on vaporized neem oil, which I take as a bad sign.

I guess I am looking for no-spray cannabis flower and concentrates.

I have heard that neem oil etc will evaporate off the plant if it's sprayed before flowering, but that doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe they mean to say that the buds won't have oil on them, because they opened a few weeks after the spray was applied?

 

[macbill]

Washington State Could Legalize Marijuana Home Cultivation Under New Bill​

Washington State lawmakers next month will yet again weigh whether to allow residents to grow marijuana at home, extending a debate in the legislature that’s stretched on for years.

A bipartisan bill introduced late last week would let adults 21 and older grow up to six cannabis plants and keep any marijuana produced by those plants. It’s a policy that resembles similar provisions in neighboring Oregon, as well as those in Colorado, California and nearly every other state that has legalized marijuana.

 

[macbill]

Washington State Marijuana Homegrow Bill Draws Smooth Reception At Initial Hearing​

A renewed effort in Washington State to allow adults to grow marijuana at home had its first hearing in Olympia last week, with a House committee considering a bill that would permit individuals to cultivate up to six cannabis plants for personal use.

A committee vote on the proposal could come as soon as this Friday.

 

[macbill]

Washington Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Homegrow Bill In Committee​

A bill to allow marijuana homegrow in Washington State cleared its first legislative hurdle Friday morning, passing out of the House Commerce and Gaming Committee on a 7–2 vote with a “do pass” recommendation.

 

[macbill]

Incredibly, cannabis sales continue their upward trajectory​

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board released retail sales numbers for fiscal year 2019 — July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020 — and the data shows an industry that continues to grow, even faster than before. Last year, the state cracked the $1 billion mark for the first time. This year, it passed $1.25 billion and generated more than $468 million in excise tax. Both of which are record highs.

 

[Gunky]

Incredibly, cannabis sales continue their upward trajectory​

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board released retail sales numbers for fiscal year 2019 — July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020 — and the data shows an industry that continues to grow, even faster than before. Last year, the state cracked the $1 billion mark for the first time. This year, it passed $1.25 billion and generated more than $468 million in excise tax. Both of which are record highs.

Similar situation in Oregon KGW article

"Statewide, combined adult-use and medical sales increased nearly 40% and topped $1.1 billion."

 

[acolyte]

Makes sense to me with the pandemic. Many people are opening their eyes to the benefits of cannabis.

 

[Gunky]

I meant to say, "the reason I want pesticide-free is to avoid health complications, and I don't trust natural compounds to be any safer than chemical pesticides"

Some hippies around here think everything is okay as long as it's organic, they don't realize eg cyanide I haven't seen any definitive info on vaporized neem oil, which I take as a bad sign.

I guess I am looking for no-spray cannabis flower and concentrates.

I have heard that neem oil etc will evaporate off the plant if it's sprayed before flowering, but that doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe they mean to say that the buds won't have oil on them, because they opened a few weeks after the spray was applied?

I didn't notice this till now. You know neem oil is typically applied to leaves and stems during the plant's vegetative phase. So the flower parts - the parts you consume - don't exist at the point where neem is sprayed and thus don't get sprayed with neem. And by neem here I mean the raw oil pressed from a tree nut. I would not consume flowers that had been sprayed with neem. It's an oil and has a very strong, distinct odor which would spoil good weed if applied to the blossoms. - one of those hippies around here.

 

[macbill]

Distilling 101​

Western Washington University Announces New Cannabis Certificate Programs to Meet Growing Professional Skills Gap​

Western Washington University's Professional and Continuing Education has adopted four new certificate programs, focused on career preparation and skills development for the growing cannabis industry. Leafly's annual cannabis jobs report highlights the need for skilled employees, as the industry is now the fastest growing job-sector in the country and supporting double-digit job growth since 2016.

 

[acolyte]

You know neem oil is typically applied to leaves and stems during the plant's vegetative phase. So the flower parts - the parts you consume - don't exist at the point where neem is sprayed and thus don't get sprayed with neem.

Are you saying that if neem oil HAD been sprayed on buds, it would be extremely obvious? Just wondering if there's anything that would stop shady growers from applying neem to the buds themselves. I've seen enough industry scandals with plausible deniability for a lifetime - if there's no easy way to tell, I'm almost certain some growers are doing it.

Unless the bugs don't attack during the flowering phase, and thus neem oil would not be needed? Maybe I should educate myself more on the growth cycle. I wish we could grow here in WA

 

[Gunky]

Are you saying that if neem oil HAD been sprayed on buds, it would be extremely obvious? Just wondering if there's anything that would stop shady growers from applying neem to the buds themselves. I've seen enough industry scandals with plausible deniability for a lifetime - if there's no easy way to tell, I'm almost certain some growers are doing it.

Unless the bugs don't attack during the flowering phase, and thus neem oil would not be needed? Maybe I should educate myself more on the growth cycle. I wish we could grow here in WA

Yep. Neem oil is very strong smelling, vaguely like coffee. Plus vaporizing any non-cannabis oil is going to produce some godawful nasty vapor.

Typically once you've treated vegging plants they are pretty free of molds and pests when they begin to bloom. And once they start blooming there is not much that is safe to spray. You can spray extracts of cloves and other spices which won't poison you but they will affect the taste of the bud. I just don't spray once they go into bloom.* In fact I spray so early in veg that any sprayed leaves are likely to have fallen off the plant by the time bloom takes place. I suspect most home/small-medical growers are doing something similar.

* Except for one special situation in order to force a female to produce male flowers, and then I keep the seeds and discard the flowers.

 

[acolyte]

That makes sense, thank you so much for gifting your first-hand knowledge. I suppose that's why concentrates made with trim can have much higher concentrations of pesticides. All the more reason to love my vapcap and sticky brick runt.

 

[Gunky]

That makes sense, thank you so much for gifting your first-hand knowledge. I suppose that's why concentrates made with trim can have much higher concentrations of pesticides. All the more reason to love my vapcap and sticky brick runt.

Let's distinguish between leaves and trim. Leaves are you know, leaves. That famous palm shape with 5, 7, 9 fingers. Trim is the stuff you clip from right around a bud. It's sort of like leaf but generally is only one lobe, maybe three, but quite small. Trim is often quite frosty and potent. I love using it for bubble hash. Trim is essentially the same as bud: it shouldn't contain neem traces. Leaves on the other hand might very well contain traces, which can be mitigated by using them for ice water hash (ie bubble hash) - washing most impurities away. I used to do things with leaves (though not the early leaves which have been sprayed) but lately I just toss them. They don't have that many trichs. Unless you have a mechanized setup like a washing machine to make bubble hash it's awfully laborious to use leaves.

 

[SupremelySatisfied]

There is currently a bill in the Washington state House of Representatives to allow Washington residents to grow 6 plants each and up to 15 plants per household. There is not a companion bill in the state senate which would increase the chances of the bill passing into law before it times out. A impact study on the bill was performed at Washington State University and they determined passing the bill would not have a negative impact on the recreational cannabis industry but would be a boon to the rapidly expanding home growing industry. The bill received $30k of support from the Scott’s lawn and garden company who recently acquired a Washington business that specializes in home growing equipment. If you are interested in getting Washington’s legalized cannabis laws in line with every other legal state except Illinois (IL and WA are the only two that don’t allow home grow) you should contact your state representatives to let them know you think people should be allowed to grow a plant that we voted to legalize. Impact studies have determined legal home grow will expand the growing cannabis industry which adds billions to the state economy without impacting the current recreational market. It would have the greatest impact to contact state senators and let them know you would like a companion bill in the senate so that both legislative branches can work on it at the same time so the bill can pass within the available time window.

 

[macbill]

Washington Supreme Court Strikes Down Criminalization Of Drug Possession​

Washington State’s felony penalties against drug possession abruptly disappeared on Thursday after the state Supreme Court struck down the law as unconstitutional. As lawmakers decide how to respond to the decision—with a bill to decriminalize all drugs having already passed a legislative committee earlier this month—some police departments and prosecutors have now announced they’ll no longer arrest or pursue cases against people over possession of small amounts.

 

[macbill]

Local Activists In Washington State Push For Psilocybin Decriminalization​

Voters in Spokane, Washington could make the city one of the latest to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms under a proposed ordinance that was recently filed by local activists

 

[macbill]

Legalizing Marijuana Has Been A ‘Uniformly Positive’ Move In Washington State, Governor Says​

Washington State’s experience with marijuana legalization has been “uniformly positive,” the governor said in a new interview, adding that one of the only things he would’ve done differently is embrace the reform sooner.

 

[macbill]

Washington state marijuana growers fear hemp-derived THC could put them out of business​

At issue is hemp-derived CBD being converted into delta-8 THC – and even delta-9 THC, the molecule more commonly found in marijuana – then sold as licensed, regulated marijuana products.

The main reason marijuana growers are worried: It’s far cheaper to convert CBD extract (isolate, mostly) into delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC than to grow marijuana to make THC.

 

[C No Ego]

Washington state marijuana growers fear hemp-derived THC could put them out of business​

At issue is hemp-derived CBD being converted into delta-8 THC – and even delta-9 THC, the molecule more commonly found in marijuana – then sold as licensed, regulated marijuana products.

The main reason marijuana growers are worried: It’s far cheaper to convert CBD extract (isolate, mostly) into delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC than to grow marijuana to make THC.

Marijuana does not make THC ... Tetrahydrocannabinol ... how is that marijuana ? I know, the Gov says so but really we still have people making this shit a thing ... Marijuana does not present a vible plant species nor other type of cannabis plant molecules Fuck