WA Bill to End Dispensaries, Reduce Patients’ Rights, Scheduled for Public Hearing
A bill 
to shut down every medical cannabis dispensaries in Washington State, and to significantly reduce patients’ rights, has been scheduled for a public hearing on March 5th in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. The measure has already been approved by the state’s Senate.
Senate Bill 5052 would shut down every dispensary in the state, would establish a mandatory patient registry and would reduce the amount of cannabis a patient can possess (from 24 ounces to 3) and cultivate (from 15 plants to 6).
Recreational cannabis retail outlets would be given the opportunity to apply for a medical cannabis endorsement – which would require staff to take a mandatory Department of Health-approved class – which would demonstrate that they’re “knowledgeable in the medical use of marijuana”. These outlets would apply for the endorsement from The Liquor Control Board, which would be renamed to the Liquor and Cannabis Control Board and given regulatory authority over the cannabis industry.
Those in Washington who oppose this effort should contact their district’s lawmakers – which can be found by clicking here – and ask them to vote against Senate Bill 5052. Those who can make it should attend the public hearing and let their voice be heard.
– TheJointBlog
NorCalNative
Reducing the rights of patients is BULLSHIT!
Patients need complete access to all forms of cannabis at prices lower than what the recreational market will bear.
Lynne
This seems an obvious ploy to increase the profits to retail, taxes to the state and complete ignorance of the medical marijuana patients.
Saddening to hear that once again the GOP are proving that they love big government control over individuals.
Why would anyone ever believe their propaganda?
Free up the medicine, it’s NOT just for recreation. Or greed.
Jennifer Shields
This is their medicine. They need to have the dispensaries handled separate. These are their pharmacies. Stop what your doing and think about it in terms of patients and their prescriptions.
Jehrse
Contacted all of District 38’s legislators.
Hopefully this bill doesn’t pass, or else a lot of people are going to screwed over-
not to mention the illegal trade.
Lilmoetuff
I was wondering when exactly is the vote on bill 5052?
Thanks
David M
Washington Republicans have waited 40 years to regain any semblance of power in Washington. Due to a virtually non-existent youth voter turn-out for the Nov. 2014 mid-term election, the Republican’s got exactly what they’d been hoping. Republican’s in Washington have wanted to destroy the states Medical marijuana law since it was first legalized for medical purposes in 1998.
This is exactly what happens when people don’t vote. Even with mail in ballot’s, they didn’t vote. Unfortunately there are usually the same persons bitching the loudest on blogs/ forum’s etc. when things go as they don’t wish, after an election is over and done. While taking part in street demonstrations can be energizing and socially engaging, doing so is meaningless unless those same convictions are carried over to where the only true power exists for an individual under our political system” Voting
Now it’s just pure greed. Republican investor’s entering the state recreational market want to insure that they encounter no “competitor’s” to their business model. That’s the term the Recreational lobbyist and their well-heeled attorney’s actually use in describing Washington’s medica marijuanal patients.
Now before all of the “it’s too easy to get a medical authorization in Washington” crowd chimes in. Please consider that for every fraud that does occur, there are many , many, truly sick persons who are in need of help and won’t be receiving it if this monstrosity of a bill is allowed to pass.
The irony here is of course while the rest of America is either trying to aquire a state MMJ law or other’s nation-wide move forward expanding state patient rights, access, and affordable patient prices, Washington Republicans are in the process of trying to dismantle all of this in one fell swoop, with one contemptible Bill . Washington’s medical marijuana patients will be out in force March 5th in Olympia. I hope to see you there.
usarmyretired
I agree with all this bill is designed to deprive us who use the medicine. We need to voice our right if we stay silent a complain nothing will happen they those against MMJ will win!
eddie
This is an atrocity against ALL Washington residents! I urge a NO vote on 5052 that is what all the legislators need to b saying. KILL this bill! Bad legislation!
Tim Bowles
This is going to pass without a doubt. It has large bipartisan support not just republicans. This has been coming along time since dispensaries are not legal & were never supposed to exist & we don’t need separate stores since its the same herb, that is just silly. People need to get over it & adapt!!!
Heather
It’s not “the same herb” and anyone who thinks differently is misinformed. This bill is bad for thousands if patients and is regressive in it’s entirety. I’m embarrassed to be a WA resident right now with the deplorable way the legislature is behaving.
David M
Our boats are docked at the same marina.
rasclot
your an idiot shut the fuck up
Myke Folkes
I’ll get over it when I don’t see people paying $109 for 4 grams of cannabis, when you can get that amount for $25-30 from a dispensary… Why should sick people have to pay more to support the profits of the i502 industry?
Lori Jackson
I am am Mmj patient with fibromyalgia and I am very scared and scared about this bill. I would no longer qualify to use cannibis as medicine.My husband and I grew plants last summer for me and friends with CBD. I feel frustrated with Ann Rivers and the other legislators who arent looking out for patients like me. I always vote and I wonder if the politions care
Steve Sarich
This is a LAW ENFORCEMENT bill….Rivers’ is the number one tool of law enforcement. She was voted “Legislator of the Year” by the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police Chiefs. They point out that, since they stopped busting legal patients, their civil forfeiture money is down by 80%! (GOOD!). They want that money BACK! They thought they had it won last year and were already to start raiding when they lost on the last night of the session.
The Governor and the LCB also want medical gone. The greed-head 502 business owners want medical gone, because they, erroneously, believe that patients will be forced to spend twice as much at their stores if the dispensaries are shut down. Amazingly stupid. They will never get our business and we’ll enjoy watching them go broke.
I attended a Tribal meeting with over 400 people on Friday. Tribal leaders from 70 different tribes participated. They aren’t bound by state (or LCB) regulations or taxes. These tribes plan on producing and selling both medical and recreational cannabis. They spell the END of the LCB recreational system.
We’ll be bringing pitchforks, axe handles and torches to the Capitol on Thursday morning. They will NOT wipe our our medical rights without a fight!
If you can’t make it, call the State Hotline and tell them that you absolutely oppose SB5052! 1-800-562-6000
Steve Sarich
Cannabis Action Coalition
Brian Nixon
Exactly why we as a nation can’t get the help we need to fight cancer or many other diseases to much legislation holding it back let’s stop being ants or sheep and fight for our freedom