2 New Cannabis Bills In Washington State: One GOP-Led Addresses Violent Crimes At Pot Shops, Second Considers High-Potency THC Products

Washington state representatives Lauren Davis (D) and Tom Dent (R) introduced a bill Monday aiming to minimize the potential dangers of high-potency THC cannabis products. 

"Today, there's no legal limit on the potency of the psychoactive element, THC, in cannabis concentrates," Davis said in a statement. "Cannabis vape oils, dabs, and shatter are regularly sold with a THC potency of nearly 100 percent—a ten-fold increase in potency from when cannabis was legalized in 2012. These concentrated products are different. And dangerous."

The measure which is scheduled for a hearing in the House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 16, also raises the age for purchasing high THC products to 25.

"An act relating to reducing the public health harms associated with high THC cannabis products by raising awareness, implementing and studying health interventions, and increasing the minimum legal age of sale of high THC cannabis products to prevent psychosis," the bill's introduction reads.

House Bill 2320 also highlights a consensus statement released by the University of Washington and Washington State University about the public health risks caused by high THC products. According to Dr. Beatriz Carlini, from the University of Washington's Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute, these high-THC cannabis products are "as close to the cannabis plant as strawberries are to frosted strawberry pop tarts."

The measure notes that the legislature finds that even though the THC concentration of marijuana-infused edibles is limited to 10% under state law and the THC concentration of cannabis flower is biologically limited, there are no limits on the potency of marijuana concentrates like THC-infused vape oils and dabs.

If enacted, the legislature would also provide funding to the Department of Health to inform people about the harms associated with high-potency THC cannabis products through social marketing and public health messages.

Dent said the number of young people impacted by high-potency cannabis is on the rise. "We need to address this crisis before it filters deeper into our communities."

See Also: Washington State's New Bill Hopes To Give Adults The Power To Cultivate Marijuana

GOP-Led Bill To Address Violent Crimes At Marijuana Outlets

Meanwhile, state Senator Jim McCune (R) said it's past time for the Legislature to deal with the epidemic of costly and even deadly crimes at cannabis shops, and that's why he introduced a bill to protect these retailers.

SB 6133 raises penalties for those who use a vehicle to cause damage or gain access to retail outlets. Robbery 1 is a class A felony and robbery 2 is a class B felony. If the bill becomes law, someone who uses a vehicle to smash into a marijuana outlet can be charged with either robbery 1 or 2, and then prove the new "special allegation" to ask for extra time added to the sentence, according to McCune's website.

The legislation, introduced Wednesday, also proposes to assist the state Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) in keeping statistics on break-ins by requiring marijuana outlets to report robberies to the board in 10 days and tasking the Washington State Patrol with regularly consulting with the LCB's chief enforcement officer.

"Cannabis shops are located all over in our communities, and they have really become a magnet for an unprecedented level of criminal activities," said McCune, who serves on the Senate's Law and Justice Committee. "Criminals know these are primarily cash-only businesses, which makes them easy targets. Whole safes have been hauled away. Employees have been pistol-whipped or shot – some even killed. And customers and neighbors have been traumatized. Failing to get this problem under control affects everyone in the community and creates a dangerous environment of chaos and lawlessness."

Per Washington's Craft Cannabis Coalition, the number of robberies at pot shops rose in 2022, with more than 100 cases reported as well as the first death of an employee during a break-in. 

See Also: Washington State Lawmakers Join Struggle Against Cannabis Shop Robberies

"Whether people like it or not, cannabis stores have been legal in Washington for nearly a decade, and the state is bringing in nearly half a billion dollars a year in tax revenue from this product," McCune continued. "If the state is going to profit from having a legal cannabis industry, it should also do everything possible to protect workers, customers, and the community from criminal activity at cannabis retailers."

The measure has been referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee, which has until Jan. 31 to consider the bill.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Tima Miroshnichenko and Jess Loiterton via Pexels