The draft rules cover everything from the requirements to obtain a license to grow commercially, what level of security is needed for a marijuana businesses, what type of photo ID’s will be accepted at marijuana stores, to even how to properly dispose of unused parts of marijuana.

Not surprisingly, the proposed regulations in Washington a similar to those recommended by the Colorado task force for implementation of their own new marijuana law.

The parts of the draft rules I think regular people will find most interesting is the regulations that will most impact normal consumers.

The WSLCB has decided what information must be contained on the label for a package of marijuana. Every package will be required to contain a warning, the name of the business, lot number, the concentration of the cannabinoids, the statement “this product is unlawful outside of Washington,” date of harvest and the Washington State marijuana license logo. A sample label provided by the WSLCB is pictured in the article.

All marijuana producers will be required to disclose in writing all pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides in their growing operation. Marijuana can be labeled as organic but only if certified by the state Department of Agriculture.

The WSLCB will require a slightly different label for marijuana-infused products. It decided a “single serving” of marijuana should be 10 milligrams of THC and no marijuana-infused product should contain more than ten servings.

These basic labels may end up serving as a national model. It is likely, as other states legalize marijuana, they will copy much of the regulations being created right now in Washington State and Colorado.

While voters in Washington State approved I-502 last November and parts of the law that remove criminal for possession went into effect in December, much of the law remains to be implemented. The state’s liquor board first needs to create new regulations governing the entirely new industry and issue licenses before adults will legally be able to purchase marijuana in stores.

After months of preliminary work the WSLCB has finally put out an official timeline for implementing the commercial aspects of the legalization. According to the WSLCB individuals should be able to apply for a license to grow or sell marijuana by September and a month later the state will start issuing licenses.

From the WSLCB:

Mid May – Send draft rules to stakeholders for comment

Mid June – CR102 (draft rules) filed for the Producer, Processor and Retailer Licenses. The CR102 allows the WSLCB to seek public comment on draft rule language developed with input from the public during the initial comment period.*

Small Business Economic Impact Statement issued with CR 102.

Late July – Public hearing/s on rules for the Producer, Processor and Retailer Licenses allowing the public to comment on the draft rule language.

Rules adopted.

Late August – Rules become effective.

September – WSLCB begin accepting Producer, Processor and Retail License applications.

December 1 – Rules are complete (as mandated by law). WSLCB begins issuing Producer, Processor and Retail licenses to qualified applicants.

Photo by Coleen Danger released under Creative Commons License

If you have questions about the new marijuana legalization law now that it is officially in effect in Washington State, the place to go is the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Initiative 502 put them in charge of both writing and enforcing the new regulations which will make the law function. To help the public, the LCB has just put out a new Frequently Asked Question document [PDF] that is worth a read if you want to know how the nuts and bolts of legalization are likely to work.

The FAQ addresses a whole range of questions, such as will Amsterdam style coffee shops be permitted, (no, since on-premise consumption is not allowed under the new law), to will the Liquor Control Board change its name to reflect the fact that it now also regulates marijuana. Currently the LCB doesn’t have any plans to change its name and considers that a relatively low priority.

You notice that the LCB doesn’t have real answers for some of important questions, such as how many licenses will be issued and whether or not non-Washington residents will be allowed to buy marijuana. This is because the LCB still hasn’t decided about those issues. In the coming year the LCB will be making perhaps hundreds of regulatory decisions both big and small that will powerfully shape how the newly legal marijuana industry develops in the state.

These decisions will not just impact Washington State, but could easily have broader national, and even international, implications. As one of the first places on earth to create a tightly regulated legal marijuana, Washington State will serve as an important model for other places that legalize marijuana in the future.

Now that voters in Washington State have approved Initiative 502 legalizing marijuana, the big question is what will the legal marijuana actually be like. The initiative gives the Washington State Liquor Control Board the job of regulating the new industry and they are going to be the prime source for answers. The WSLCB has created a new website to detail the implementation of the new law and a useful fact sheet explains what the law allows for.

Under the law, individuals 21 year of age and older will be allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of marijuana infused products in a solid form (think marijuana brownies), and 72 ounces of marijuana infused liquids. Possession of marijuana in excess of those amounts would still be a crime for regular adults not licensed to sell or produce marijuana.

It is estimated that marijuana will cost around $12 per gram which is roughly the same price as medical marijuana in the state.

The law will allow for special retail outlets that sell marijuana but they will be highly restricted. Marijuana stores will only be allowed to sell marijuana products. No one under the age of 21 will even be allowed on the premises. These marijuana retail stores will be very inconspicuous, thanks to tough restrictions on their ability to advertise. Marijuana stores will only be allowed one small sign and they can’t display marijuana in their windows.

Marijuana smoking adults should have convenient places to legally buy marijuana that is tested for quality while non-smokers should barely even notice that these new businesses exist.

The law doesn’t officially go into effect until 30 days after the election, which is December 6th. That is when it will be legal for adults to possess marijuana, but it will probably be between several months to a year before WSLCB is able to start licensing growers and retailers. How long it will actually be until adults in the state are able to simply walk into a store and legally buy some marijuana will likely also depend on if/how the federal government reacts.

Photo by boodoo under Creative Commons license.