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“Washington state has been a ground-breaking leader when it
comes to implementing a whole new marketplace for recreational marijuana. I am
incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to implement legalization in a way that
keeps youth safe, minimizes diversion into the black market, and minimizes diversion of product out of state.
"We are learning
important lessons as we go and continually looking for ways to improve our
work on all fronts. It is important for our state to know the Trump
Administration is willing to work with us to ensure our success on these
efforts, rather than undermining our efforts and diminishing our ability to
work constructively with growers and distributors.
“While Washington has been
successful in creating a tightly regulated market place and generating
needed revenue for the state, challenges do remain. Most importantly marijuana
remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance by the federal government. This
determination affects all aspects of our state systems, from banking to
research to consumer safety.
“It is clear that our goals regarding health and safety are
in step with the goals AG Sessions has articulated. Unfortunately he is
referring to incomplete and unreliable data that does not provide the most
accurate snapshot of our efforts since the marketplace opened in 2014. Our team
is currently reviewing his letter, and we will have a more detailed response in
the coming days. I look forward to speaking with AG Sessions to
make sure he fully understands everything our state is doing to accomplish our
shared goals.”
Background:
July 2017 letter from AG Sessions responding to Gov. Inslee and state Attorney General Ferguson
May 2017 letter from Gov. Inslee and state Attorney General Ferguson to AG Sessions
April 2017 letter from the governors of Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Alaska to AG Sessions
February 2017 letter from Gov. Inslee and state Attorney General Ferguson to AG Sessions
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