State Liquor Control Board adopts final rules for pot; licensing date set

OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Liquor Control Board on Wednesday adopted the proposed rules for implementing Initiative 502, the measure that legalizes the production, sale and use of marijuana.  By week’s end the board will file the "CR103" -- the formal procedure for adoption of proposed rules – which is the final step in the rulemaking process.

The filing of the CR103 form is the final step before licenses and permits can be handed to growers and retailers, officials said. The agency predicts a 30-day licensing window for growers and sellers to open on Nov. 18.

In a statement, officials with the WSLC said the rules submitted for final approval are a "reflection of more than 10 months of work."

"The rules achieve the Board’s stated goal of implementing a tightly regulated and controlled recreational marijuana market. They also align with the Department of Justice’s stated areas of concern by addressing out-of-state diversion of product, traceability of product from start to sale, youth access and other public and consumer safety concerns." 

The latest changes to the rules came earlier this month, when state regulators altered wording to modify the distance marijuana stores could operate near schools.

The WSLCB is holding a series of seven educational seminars across the state to inform potential applicants on laws and regulations. For more information on the seminars, click here.