Seattle MMJ Regulations, Standards Proposed

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray outlined a plan Monday afternoon to license medical marijuana businesses and set standards on the MMJ industry for everything from testing to packaging and advertising.

The proposal – which still needs approval from the city council – establishes a regulatory system for medical marijuana similar to that for recreational cannabis.

Washington currently doesn’t have any statewide medical cannabis regulations, meaning MMJ businesses largely operate in legal limbo.

The mayor’s plan would require criminal background checks for would-be owners and allow the city to inspect medical cannabis businesses, the Seattle Times reported.

It also calls for two classes of collective gardens: Class 1 gardens would work with dispensaries and would have to be more than 500 feet from childcare centers, schools, parks, libraries and transit centers. They’d also be subject to testing for potency, pesticides, mold, fungus and heavy metals.

Class 2 gardens would only be allowed to grow 45 plants, but wouldn’t face proximity requirements nor strict testing regulations, the newspaper said.

The plan would require a separate processing license for edibles, and it would adopt the Washington Liquor Control Board’s rules for concentrates.

All licenses would be subject to revocation in the event of “egregious” violations, including selling to minors, the Times reported.

The framework is expected to be sent to the city council in December.