Washington Cannabis News

Cannabis activists and lobbyists in Washington state are predicting a busy legislative session this year. Already, bills are planned to address the state’s lack of cannabis homegrows, undo the excise tax on medical cannabis, and more.

After its inception this year despite delays from the coronavirus, the Washington Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force has opted to center on anti-Black racism in the cannabis industry.

Praxis Labs in Washington state has had its license suspended amid allegations that the cannabis testing lab was inflating THC results. The lab has decried the allegations as false, calling them libel and a case of “agency overreach.”

Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis has walked back its claim in a disputed press release last month that the shop is Seattle’s first Black-owned cannabis dispensary after it was revealed that Kemp holds just a minor stake in the company.

A coordinated law enforcement raid in Washington state last week brought down a large cannabis smuggling operation based out of 27 homes in Skyway, Renton, Kent, Maple Valley, SeaTac, and other Puget Sound communities.

Jay-Z’s new cannabis brand Monogram has launched a billboard advertising campaign at the borders between states with disparate cannabis laws.

Former NBA star Shawn Kemp is set to open the first Black-owned cannabis dispensary in Seattle, Washington on October 30.

Washington state is one of the latest to address social equity in the cannabis industry, but business owners and potential social equity applicants say they have concerns about the state’s plan.

Washington state regulators have suspended the license of producer El Rey De La Kush for allegedly shipping cannabis products out-of-state.

King County, Washington is considering shifting its cannabis-derived funds from the Sheriff’s Office to instead pay for community programs and to help individuals vacate cannabis-related convictions.

The cannabis industry has been hit hard by wildfires raging up and down the West Coast.

Washington state cannabis regulators have warned the industry of an ongoing scam called the “fire extinguisher scam,” which targets licensed retailers.

Hempcrete has been used for decades as a sustainable option in construction materials — in the U.S., however, many hempcrete pioneers are stuck navigating outdated building codes and other local regulations.

The Seattle Hempfest in-person event is officially canceled this year in light of the coronavirus; instead, an online version of the event has been announced for October 10-11.

Killer Mike and El-P, the rappers known collectively as Run the Jewels, have partnered with cannabis companies Cookies and Lemonnade to provide their first branded cannabis strain, Ooh Lala.

Throughout the last month, the entire world has been focused on the Black Lives Matter movement; simultaneously, the cannabis industry has remained largely silent on an influencer’s use of the N-word and photos of a dispensary owner in full blackface.

Washington cannabis regulators have adopted emergency rules banning vitamin E acetate in cannabis vapor products and aim to expand cannabis testing requirements.

Cannabis supply company Advanced Nutrients says a shipment worth $250,000 was stolen during transit from its Washington-based facility to a warehouse in Valencia, California.

New Day Cannabis in Newport, Washington announced it is pivoting to the production of hand sanitizer, which will be available at a discount for local hospitals and government.

Washington cannabis regulators have updated their guidelines for medical and adult-use cannabis dispensaries in the state after the governor issued a statewide shelter-in-place order.

Washington regulators have agreed to let cannabis dispensaries stay open and provide “curbside service” to customers and patients during the coronavirus outbreak.

Washington state lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk that would implement a social equity program for the state’s cannabis industry.

Regulators in Washington state have warned cannabis companies away from home delivery options that claim to have found a loophole in state regulations, which specifically outlaw the commercial delivery of retail cannabis products.