The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) today approved the filing of proposed supplemental rules that, if ultimately enacted, will help govern Washington state’s system of producing, processing and retailing recreational marijuana.
The board allocated a maximum of 334 retail outlets statewide, including two in Redmond and 61 in King County overall.
Per Initiative 502, the WSLCB applied a method that allocates retail store locations using Office of Financial Management (OFM) population with a cap on the number of retail stores per county.
“I think it’s great, I have no problem with it at all,” said Redmond resident Vivian Broda. She was joined in her opinion by a group of anonymous patrons at a local business. One man said to tax it and take the illegal tag off of it. One woman said she agrees with I-502, but as a mother of a teenager, she’s worried the younger set might have too much access to marijuana.
Redmond resident Ruth (last name withheld) doesn’t agree with I-502 and the shops possibly opening in Redmond: “With so many children in our area, because we live in an area that is surrounded by schools, they just have easy access to it, much easier than they would normally — plus adults, too. I don’t use it and I just really don’t approve of it.”
Redmond city officials weren’t available for comment at the Reporter’s deadline.
The board earlier this summer filed proposed rules on July 3, 2013. The board chose to revise and re-file its rules after receiving public input at five public hearings across Washington.
“These rules fulfill the public expectation of creating a tightly-regulated and controlled system while providing reasonable access to participation in the market, said Board Chair Sharon Foster. “Importantly, we believe these rules meet the eight federal government enforcement priorities within Thursday’s guidance memo from the Department of Justice.”
