Washington Cannabis Regulators Extend MJ Freeway Contract

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) has granted MJ Freeway a two-month contract extension to maintain the state’s traceability system, Leaf Data Systems (LDS). There will be no more updates to the system for the foreseeable future, according to an email sent by Deputy Director and Executive Sponsor  Megan Duffy.

The WSLCB will use the two-month extensions to negotiate a contract with MJ Freeway to maintain the troubled Leaf Data Systems only. This latest development comes on the heels of a complete Leaf Data Systems shut down in mid-July 2019 and scraps the timeline for LDS completion released by the LCB in April earlier this year.

Additionally, in the email, Deputy Director Duffy acknowledges the uncertain future of Leaf Data Systems.

“…LCB is looking to take stock of developments in public policy and other factors that will affect cannabis activities over the next three to five years. As more states enter this arena, Cannabis 2.0 is the LCB’s effort to look ahead to anticipate how that and other developments may affect us. As part of the effort, the LCB is currently working internally to strategically envision what that future of traceability looks like. We are engaging with a small group of industry stakeholders to gain some initial insight and, later, we’ll be engaging our broad stakeholder base.” — LCB email excerpt

MJ Freeway was first granted the contract to complete Leaf Data Systems in 2017 after BioTrack THC and the LCB were unable to negotiate a new contract. Since then, LDS has been plagued by multiple issues, leaving Washington without a reliable, state-run traceability system for nearly two years.