Tacoma To Go After Unlicensed Marijuana Stores

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Tax and license compliance officers in Tacoma, Washington, will soon start inspecting all known marijuana retailers in the city, and issue suspension letters to those found operating without a license.

Receiving such a letter means the store must be closed immediately, the Tacoma News Tribune reported. Stores caught operating after getting a suspension letter from the city could face fines of $250 per day. The inspections are set to begin July 1.

The enforcement effort stems from a 2015 state law that merges the medical and recreational sides of the state’s cannabis industry. The law also states that stores without a license must shut down by July 1.

As of this week, 28 unlicensed marijuana stores were operating in Tacoma, the paper reported. Last August, there were close to 70 unlicensed operators. State regulators have limited Tacoma to 16 retail licenses. So far, 15 of those licenses have been issued, while the last will be issued soon, officials said.