After months of discussion, debate and public input, Washington State’s Liquor Control Board – the regulatory body overseeing recreational marijuana sales in Washington State – has released its initial draft regulations for the newly-legal industry. The board will hold a public hearing on the regulations in the coming weeks as they finalize these rules, with the aim of having the first marijuana retail outlet open early next year.

Here’s an overview of the draft regulations submitted this afternoon:

Requires applicants of a marijuana business license to be a Washington State resident of at least 3 months.

Establishes tight regulatory guidelines, such as requiring the testing of all marijuana products for contaminants (such as mold and pesticides), requiring security and surveillance systems, etc..

The Liquor Control Board will monitor the production of marijuana from its seed, to its sale.

Allows for licensees to produce and sell cannabis concentrates like BHO (butane hash oil) and Rick Simpson oil, though requires the end-product to meet strict purity standards, and requires that it’s infused into food or drink items. An example label released by the WA Liquor Board.

Establishes labeling requirements, including warning labels (“keep out of reach of children”, that kind of thing), potency labeling, net weight, the name of the 3rd-party company that performed quality testing, the date of the medicine’s harvest, etc..

Puts restrictions on advertising (such as banning the inclusion of children) without limiting it entirely.

Doesn’t restrict the purchase or consumption of marijuana by out-of-state individuals.

Those who are interested can find the draft regulations, in their entirety, by clicking here.

– TheJointBlog