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News Tribune: Pierce County’s ban on licensed pot shops serves only scofflaws

"Unless the Pierce County Council lifts its ban on legal marijuana shops, would-be marijuana sellers trying to play by the state’s rules will remain out of luck. And traffickers who flout the rules will continue to flourish."

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Regulated cannabis industry voices support for compliance checks

“We applaud the Liquor and Cannabis Board for enforcing strict standards to support a safe, quality-controlled and regulated cannabis marketplace in Washington. These first compliance checks are instrumental in helping prevent the illegal sale of marijuana to minors,” said Washington CannaBusiness Association Executive Director Vicki Christophersen. “We look forward to continuing our shared commitment with state regulators and law enforcement to ensure that our new regulated marketplace adheres to the strict guidelines established by policymakers and voters.”

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Washington CannaBusiness Association celebrates safe, quality-controlled and regulated cannabis marketplace

On Tuesday, the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) held its first members-only conference for I-502 license-holders to celebrate its inaugural 2015 legislative session. WACA members and its Board of Directors were on hand to celebrate the passage of the Cannabis Patient Protection Act, and voice support for a streamlined taxing structure that also eliminates double-taxing which is still working its way through the legislative process as part of special session negotiations. WACA members were also able to meet with Liquor and Cannabis Board staff, speak with elected officials, and workshop with strategic communications and government relations professionals about how to grow I-502 businesses as true community leaders.

WACA also presented a Legislator of the Year award to Senator Ann Rivers, sponsor of the bipartisan Cannabis Patient Protection Act and champion for creating a single, safe, quality-controlled and regulated cannabis marketplace in Washington State. “We are thankful for the overwhelming support of the governor and both political parties in passing critical legislation this session to help ensure the success of the regulated cannabis marketplace created by state voters. Senator Ann Rivers demonstrated true leadership this session by asking tough questions, working long hours and collaborating with her colleagues to get the Cannabis Patient Protection Act over the finish line. Regulated cannabis business owners, patients and general consumers alike will all benefit from her leadership and the Washington CannaBusiness Association thanks her for demonstrating such a deep commitment to public service,” said WACA Executive Director Vicki Christophersen. “We have a duty to honor the will of the voters in creating a regulated, safe and qualitycontrolled cannabis marketplace, while recognizing the need for a safe, medicinal marketplace for patients in need,” said Senator Rivers. “I am honored to receive the Legislator of the Year award and also wish to thank my colleagues for their hard work, without which this legislation would not have been possible. I especially thank the Washington CannaBusiness Association for their professional and collaborative approach to representing our state’s regulated cannabis business owners. I look forward to hearing from them in the future as we continue to fine-tune cannabis policy in Washington.”

More than 50 members representing over 40 502-licensed businesses attended Tuesday’s conference. “It sometimes can feel like we are all on our own as we try to keep our businesses afloat in this new industry,” said Angela Jayo, WACA member and CEO of Green America. “That’s why I value my membership in the Washington CannaBusiness Association. Not only is it a great way to compare notes with fellow license holders, but I can also call on WACA to help me with regulatory and public relations challenges in my city. There is so much work to be done. And WACA is a great investment because I know there is a direct connection between my business income and their successful work in Olympia for the entire cannabis marketplace. I think all license holders should join WACA so that we can demonstrate our shared values with the communities where we do business for safety and compliance and build our industry’s voice in Olympia, our home cities, the media and beyond.” 

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KIRO 7: Washington gov. signs overhaul of medical marijuana market

"Nearly two decades after voters passed a medical marijuana law that often left police, prosecutors and even patients confused about what was allowed, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill Friday attempting to clean up that largely unregulated system and harmonize it with Washington's new market for recreational pot."

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Associated Press: Willie Nelson becomes latest celebrity in marijuana business

"'Like other industries, branding and creative marketing is a big part of supporting legal cannabis products,' said Vicki Christophersen, director of the Washington CannaBusiness Association."

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The Olympian: Inslee should sign marijuana reforms

"Washington lawmakers finally forged a grand compromise on the state’s unfolding experiment with legal marijuana."

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Making marijuana into a legitimate business

The BBC covers the challenges facing the regulated cannabis marketplace in Washington State, including interviewing Green Theory's Tera Martin, member of the Washington CannaBusiness Association, and Senator Rivers, sponsor of the Cannabis Patient Protection Act.

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Inside Olympia covers Cannabis Patient Protection Act

Austin Jenkins on TVW's Inside Olympia  interviews WACA member Angela Jayo and key elected representatives to discuss the need for a safe, quality-controlled and regulated cannabis marketplace.

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Critical updates needed in state marijuana laws

"Washington's experiment with legal recreational marijuana is 'teetering on the brink' of a market failure. That is the candid assessment of Hayden Woodard, a state-licensed grower in Dallesport who hasn’t given himself a paycheck in a year."

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The Columbian: Guest Post on Cannabis Chronicles

"The Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) is the only organization of its kind in Washington state comprised solely of 502-licensed producers, processors and retailers of cannabis. With members from urban and rural areas across the state, WACA is working to ensure safe, quality-controlled products for all consumers and a single, regulated system for the entire cannabis marketplace."

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WACA featured in Seattle Times article

"...A group of recreational producers, processors and retailers are lining up behind the Rivers proposal. Organized as the Washington Cannabusiness Association (WACA) it has a seasoned lobbyist, Vicki Christophersen, as its executive director.

As with any regulated industry, she said, 'there needs to be consistency in application across the state.'

And, she added later, 'I think there are a lot of folks that are in the medical system right now that want to be regulated.'

After last year’s attempted overhaul failed in the Legislature, Christophersen said she brought the idea of an industry group to recreational-marijuana entrepreneurs.

'I went to them and said, ‘We need a trade association,’ ' said Christophersen, whose other current clients include the Association of Washington Spirits and Wine Distributors and Washington State University. 'We need to be just like the restaurant association or the hospital association. We need to have a professional organization that can have a credible voice.'

And that’s how WACA, which now has 42 industry members — growers, processors, retail stores and one testing lab — is operating. WACA has focused its arguments, testified in legislative hearings and even donated to lawmakers’ campaigns last election cycle."

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Seattle Times: Analysis of cannabis tax system

"The leading proposal to emerge this session to regulate the industry is the Cannabis Patient Protection Act, or SB 5052, which would license medical-marijuana stores, and mandate testing of the medical products."

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The News Tribune: A second chance to get medical marijuana right

"The Senate has approved a strong bill that promises to wring the profiteering and quackery out of what had been — pre-toleration — a humane and narrowly tailored state policy. If it isn’t weakened in the House, Senate Bill 5052 could return medical marijuana to its original focus: bona fide patients, not common pot users and dealers."

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Wenatchee World: Proposed marijuana reforms on tap for state lawmakers

"The Washington CannaBusiness Association is supporting four bills in the State Legislature, that, if approved, would ease the emerging recreational marijuana industries’ biggest challenges."

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Associated Press: Coverage of Cannabis Patient Protection Act filing

“‘This levels the marketplace for all those businesses who have taken steps to participate in the regulated, taxed industry, so that they’re not unfairly burdened,’ said association spokeswoman Lynsee Swisher. ‘It’s important that we have one regulated system with the same background checks and traceability and security and the testing of the product.'”

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