Medical Marijuana Farmer's Market Opens in Seattle

A medical marijuana farmer’s market recently opened in Seattle where vendors can sell everything from lotions and creams to candy and dried buds. However, the new market was also a venue for a debate over marijuana rights, and director of the World Famous Cannabis Farmers Market, Jeremy Miller said he and market co-founder, Kristin Miller, are ready for a fight.

“It’s so important for everybody that actually values medical cannabis to defend their medical cannabis rights,” he said. State and local leaders are negotiating details on recreational pot regulations, including the number of stores allowed and added costs, and Miller is afraid medical marijuana will be the next target. He is concerned for the patients.

As shoppers visited the market, Miller and others started collecting video testimonials from patients, to support his effort to push for different laws for medical marijuana. Miller believes that medical marijuana use should be overseen by the state’s health department, not the liquor board, and plans to lobby in Olympia next year for the cause.

Patients at the market support Miller’s efforts. Mae Tang, one of the patients interviewed said that all of her pain and symptoms associated with a badly sprained ankle just disappeared with marijuana.  The market also has a program that helps fight for those behind bars on federal marijuana charges by raising money through raffles.

WSLCB Offers Workshops on the Marijuana Licensing Process

The Washington State Liquor Control Board is conducting workshops throughout Washington to educate all those who are interested in the marijuana licensing process. Space is limited, however, and only for those who are seriously interested in pursuing a license to be a marijuana producer, processor, or retailer.

In order to attend a workshop, applicants must be registered with the WSLCB and businesses are only allowed to send two representatives to one workshop. According to the WSLCB website, their mission is to "promote public safety by consistent and fair administration of liquor and cannabis laws through education, voluntary compliance, responsible sales, and preventing the misuse of alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco."

A complete listing of the seminars is available online.

The WSLCB has also published a timeline for the licensing process.

Oct. 08 – Public Hearing on permanent rules in Seattle

Oct. 09 – Public Hearing on permanent rules in Spokane

Oct. 16 – Board Adoption of permanent rules

Oct. 17 – Nov. 1 – Marijuana Licensing Education Seminars

Nov. 16 – Permanent Rules become effective

Nov. 18 – WSLCB begins taking license applications