As soon as once more, the Legislature stands on the precipice of inaction in the case of a serious well being downside impacting Washington’s youth: high-potency hashish.
The fifth try at regulating manufactured hashish merchandise is probably the most modest but. Like earlier laws, it focuses on vape oils, shatter and dabs bought in retail retailers which have THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) focus of practically 100%. By comparability, in the present day’s marijuana crops have THC content material of about 15%.
“They don’t resemble the plant — they’re as near the hashish plant as strawberries are to frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts,” in line with a 2020 report by researchers on the College of Washington and Washington State College.
The report included a consensus assertion that use of high-potency hashish will increase threat of dependancy and will increase the chance of creating psychotic problems comparable to schizophrenia.
As a substitute of capping efficiency or levying taxes on sure merchandise, Home Invoice 2320 would prohibit stores from promoting a hashish product with a THC focus better than 35% to somebody below 25, with medical exceptions.
“The hashish that’s bought in the present day is a completely totally different drug than the hashish crops that voters legalized in 2012. When you’ve a special drug, you’ve totally different well being impacts,” testified Rep. Lauren Davis, D-Shoreline, who sponsored the invoice and efforts in years previous. “If we received a special drug, we’ve got to have a special coverage response.”
Among the many physicians and public well being specialists who testified in favor of HB 2320 and its companion within the Senate, SB 6220, was former state lawmaker Mary Lou Dickerson.
“I’m the consultant who took the lead on legalization of marijuana in Washington state, and I don’t remorse doing that. Nonetheless, since hashish grew to become authorized over a decade in the past, very high-potency pot has been developed. We all know it spells critical bother for lots of people, adolescents and younger adults particularly. We are able to’t be blind to that,” she informed legislators. “We have to open our eyes and make changes to the regulation to guard shoppers, particularly the younger shoppers.”
When Dickerson testified on the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee, she talked about the significance of the UW high-potency hashish report. Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, chair of the committee, requested Dickerson to ship her a replica. “I believe it might need gotten buried in my electronic mail.”
The truth that the chair of the committee overseeing hashish regulation had not learn the 2020 UW report on well being impacts is a tragic state of affairs and illustrates the problem in getting any commonsense high-potency regulation handed. It’s merely not a precedence for lawmakers.
Representatives of the hashish trade spoke towards each payments, elevating the specter of prohibition, illicit markets and the futility of making an attempt to place a genie again within the bottle: “There’s nothing you are able to do on the availability facet to vary issues,” stated one lobbyist.
“The parents which are towards this invoice are the identical people which are earning profits off this,” testified Ryan Orrison, an adolescent substance use skilled, on the Home committee listening to. “The parents which are for this invoice are well being care suppliers, docs and individuals who care in regards to the wellness of our youngsters and younger folks. That’s a reasonably poignant level.”
Orrison was then admonished by committee Chair Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, for questioning the motives of the hashish trade. It was a small second that spoke volumes. State political contribution data present hashish trade gamers donated not less than $15,750 mixed to the committee’s two co-chairs, Wylie and Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Kirkland.
This debate comes all the way down to cash vs. public well being, income for the hashish trade vs. elevated threat of schizophrenia for younger folks.
The Legislature should cease dithering and catering to particular pursuits. Washingtonians deserve commonsense rules on high-potency hashish.
The deadline for both invoice to cross out of the respective committees is Jan. 31.
