Washington State Lawmakers Pass Interstate Sales Law
April 18, 2023West Coast lawmakers continue to look ahead to a world in which federal prohibitions on interstate cannabis commerce are a thing of the past. Washington’s House of Representatives last week followed its Senate in passing a bill that sets the stage for trade with other states, pending federal go-ahead. One of two conditions would have to be met before cross-border commerce could commence: either federal law would need to be changed to allow for the practice or the DOJ could issue an opinion “allowing or tolerating” it.
The law, which requires a Senate re-vote and governor Jay Inslee’s signature before becoming law, follows similar moves by other states in the region, such as California’s Department of Cannabis Control seeking comment from the state’s attorney general on setting up interstate commerce in January, following legislation similar to the Washington bill that removes state-level barriers to doing so. No state government yet seems ready to push the issue at the federal level, but it’s yet another point in the industry where impatience with inaction at the federal level is growing palpable.—Danny Sullivan
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