MARCH 2016 Washington State Marijuana Impact Report Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Area Dave Rodriguez, Director 300 5th Avenue, Suite 1300 Seattle, WA 98104 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK NWHIDTA Marijuana Impact Report – 1 | Page Acknowledgments Thank you all who provided information, resources, research, and data for this report. Additionally, thank you to all of the agencies that went above and beyond; specifically: Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Association of Washington Cities Bellingham Police Department City of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services Columbia-River Task Force Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Intelligence Center Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team LEAD Task Force Municipal Research and Services Center North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Analytical Unit, Watch Center, Treatment and Prevention Manager Pierce County Department of Planning and Land Services Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Prevention WINS Coalition of Northeast Seattle Puyallup Police Department Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Seattle Children’s Hospital Seattle Police Department Snohomish County Regional Drug Task Force Spokane Valley Police Department The Office of Washington State Lieutenant Governor University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Program University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute Washington State Department of Agriculture Washington State Department of Health Washington State Department of Revenue Washington State Department of Social and Human Services Washington State Institute for Public Policy Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board Washington State Office of Financial Management Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction Washington State Patrol Washington State Poison Center Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory Washington State Patrol Toxicology Laboratory Washington State Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Washington State Traffic Safety Commission NWHIDTA Marijuana Impact Report – 2 | Page THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK NWHIDTA Marijuana Impact Report – 3 | Page Table of Contents Acknowledgments Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 7 SECTION 1: Legal Overview ........................................................................................ 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 11 Washington State’s History with Medical Marijuana ................................................................ 11 Washington State’s History with Recreation Marijuana ........................................................... 12 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 14 SECTION 2: Regulatory Overview ............................................................................ 15 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 15 Data Summary ........................................................................................................................... 15 Possession .................................................................................................................................. 15 Recreational Marijuana .......................................................................................................... 15 Medical Marijuana.................................................................................................................. 16 Licensing .................................................................................................................................... 17 Recreational Options and Process .......................................................................................... 17 Recreational Licensing Landscape ......................................................................................... 19 Recreational Impact on Local Jurisdictions .......................................................................... 22 Medical Marijuana................................................................................................................. 26 Production ................................................................................................................................. 27 Traceability ............................................................................................................................ 27 Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 29 Estimating Production .......................................................................................................... 82 Fiscal Year 2015 ..................................................................................................................... 29 Marijuana-Infused Products ................................................................................................. 32 Marijuana Potency ................................................................................................................. 33 Environmental Impact .......................................................................................................... 36 Medical Marijuana................................................................................................................. 37 Quality Assurance Testing and Pesticides ............................................................................. 38 Marketing ................................................................................................................................... 41 Recreational Packaging and Labeling .................................................................................... 41 Recreational Business Advertising ........................................................................................ 44 Recreational Product Advertising ......................................................................................... 46 Medical Marijuana Packaging, Labeling, and Advertising .................................................... 47 Licensing Violations .................................................................................................................. 48 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 48 Group One – Public Safety .................................................................................................... 48 Group Two – Regulatory ....................................................................................................... 49 Group Three – License .......................................................................................................... 49 Group Four – Producer ......................................................................................................... 49 Current Violations ................................................................................................................. 50 Compliance Checks ................................................................................................................ 52 SECTION 3: Youth Impacts ........................................................................................ 54 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 54 NWHIDTA Marijuana Impact Report – 4 | Page Data Summary .......................................................................................................................... 54 Consumption and Use ............................................................................................................... 55 Healthy Youth Survey ............................................................................................................ 55 National Survey on Drug Use and Health ............................................................................. 59 Schools ....................................................................................................................................... 61 Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction ................................................................ 61 Marijuana in the Schools ....................................................................................................... 63 Abuse and Treatment ................................................................................................................ 65 Behavioral Health of King County ......................................................................................... 65 Washington State Poison Center ........................................................................................... 65 Treatment Admissions .......................................................................................................... 69 SECTION 4: Adult Impacts .......................................................................................... 71 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 71 Data Summary ..........................................................................................................................