Want to  strengthen our legalization laws?  Want to make a difference in less than 15 minutes? 

I’m going to quickly educate you about 3 pieces of legislation that survived the first half of the legislative session into the second half, which started January 8.  All you need to do is follow the links, read the bills, and comment to your legislators so they know how you feel about each issue!

Ready.  Set.  Go!

HB 1212 & *HB 2559 Allow  the possession of no more that six marijuana plants and up to twenty-four ounces of usable marijuana harvested from lawfully grown plants if the person in possession is at least twenty-one years old.

You can read & comment on the HB 1212 HERE  and *HB 2559 HERE  

*HB 2559 has a hearing on Monday February 15 at 1:30 in the House Committee on Commerce & Gaming!

Of the eight states that have legalized cannabis for recreational sales, all allow personal cultivation – except for Washington! Home grow is a civil liberty that we are  being denied!  The push back is always diversion & the Cole memo (which was recently rescinded) which I feel are a diversion from the facts!  All other legal states have home grow and statistics in these states bare out that teen use is down, not up!  Washington DC has home grow!  Why is this Washington so afraid of that Washington when they themselves are already allowed to home grow?

There’s a false feeling that the cannabis industry does not support the right to home grow.  The businesses listed HERE want you to know that’s not true.  They support your right to home grow cannabis.  We’re early in the process of gaining 502 business support so this list is ever growing!  These are the businesses you should be shopping at!

Home grow will not hurt 502 revenue.  Again, look at all the other legal states, which all have home grow, their revenues are booming, in some cases much quicker than ours!  Who will sell clones, seeds, & grow supplies to our citizens?  502 retailers & producers will now have a wider breadth of products from which to generate revenue not only for theirselve but for the tax coffers of Washington State!

HB 1094 Revises the medical use of cannabis act to prohibit an employer from refusing to hire a qualifying patient, discharging or barring a qualifying patient from employment, or discriminating against a qualifying patient in compensation or other terms and conditions of employment because of the qualifying patient’s: (1) Status as a qualifying patient; or (2) Positive drug test for marijuana components or metabolites.

You can read & comment on the bill HERE

Breakthroughs in medical cannabis are happening continually.  Nationally 42 states have lifted cannabis prohibition at some level.  8 have legalized, 3 have decriminalized, 10 have medical with CBD only, & 21 have full medical with THC & CBD.  The public, especially mothers, are becoming more aware of the medical benefits of cannabis.

Take the medicine type away for a moment.  Should anyone face job discrimination due to their medical needs?  We have laws to protect the privacy of our health needs.  Why would we allow this to happen to medical cannabis patients?  Why would we treat them differently than everyone else?

Washington needs to continue to be a thought leader in how we treat healthcare & the welfare of our citizens.  Please support this bill as it is a step towards ensuring we have fair & balanced practices for our the sick in our state and helps end discrimination against medical cannabis patients

This bill had its first hearing on Thursday January 26, 2017 and went nowhere!  It seems like such common sense right?  It is still alive so please do read & comment on the bill & make sure your legislators know you want this taken seriously in 2018!

HB 1060 Requires a school district to permit a student who meets certain requirements to consume marijuana for medical purposes on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or while attending a school-sponsored event. Requires the board of directors of a school district to adopt a policy that authorizes parents, guardians, and primary caregivers to administer marijuana to a student for medical purposes while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event.  Currently the law states that schools may adopt policies around medical cannabis use on school grounds however, no school has such policy. House bill 1060 fixes this error in current law preventing safe access of cannabis medication at schools, clarifies cannabis use in the school controlled substance act, and is tailored to meet the needs of Washington students and school staff.

You can read & comment on the bill HERE

Imagine having a sick child.  Now imagine that child is not allowed access to their life giving medicine while they are at school.  What is your alternative?  Home school or remove your child from school property to administer medication.  This bill did pass the House in March of 2017 but stalled in the Senate.  All Washington State children are guaranteed full access to education – except those using life saving cannabis!  Be a champion for the 57 children currently on the registry, the untold others who are not on the registry, and all the children to come!  Please support HB1060!

Your task is simple.  Just read & comment on each bill.  The comment button is on the right side of the page, in the dark green bar, “Comment on this bill”.  Be sure and send your comments to both of your House Representatives & your Senator.  Ask for a reply back.  This is a great way to start dialogue with your Legislators. 

Stay tuned for information about hearings & each bill’s progression through our law making system.  Consider attending a hearing to if not testify, just check in as attending, and let your legislators know you are watching!

Viv wrote some ‘grassfire’ tips for the being an effective cannabis advocate that can be read HERE

*updated 1/11/18 to add HB 2559 hearing