On the heels of the Federal Government’s announcement that they will not sue to stop Washington and Colorado’s legalization of marijuana, the Liquor Control Board has filed their proposed supplemental rules for regulating the new recreational market.
The most significant change is to the 1000 foot restriction. As written and passed by the voters in the 2012 election, Initiative 502 prohibits any retail, processing, or growing within 1000 feet of a school, park, transit center, community center, child care facility or arcade that is open to minors. This drew many concerns after it was discovered that many dense urban areas would be severely restricted in where they could site marijuana operations.
The Liquor Control Board was unable to change this restriction without legislative
authorization, but they did determine that the 1000 feet buffer was to be calculated based on “the most direct route over or across established public walks, streets, or other public passageway.” This means that a park within 1000 feet but across a set of railroad tracks with no nearby crossing would not block a potential marijuana business.
Other new rules include a 40 metric ton limit on the amount of marijuana to be produced, a limit of three retail licenses per entity, and a limit to the amount of marijuana allowed on a licensee’s premise at any given time.
The full list of rules, as well as the updated timeline for the establishment of Washington’s legal market, are available online.