City and state officials, entrepreneurs, attorneys and others will come together June 14 for a daylong conference at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ on the future of marijuana policy in the state.
The , co-hosted by the and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ , will be held at the and feature 30-plus speakers. The day aims to provide a comprehensive look at current and future regulations governing the retail and medical marijuana industries in Washington and elsewhere.
The conference kicks off with an overview of state marijuana policy from , director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, and a presentation from Seattle City Attorney on policy issues in the city.
Following a discussion about recent litigation in Washington’s marijuana industry and an open panel discussion, the event will break off into three afternoon tracks.
A business and enterprise section will delve into banking issues and legal practices in the industry and include a panel discussion with industry representatives. A science and medical track will explore issues ranging from the use of pesticides on marijuana crops to educating consumers about marijuana risks, and a social impact section will look at legal and business practices, cannabis regulations and enforcement, and diversity (or lack thereof) in the industry.
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ conference comes at a time of rapid changes in the national marijuana landscape. Washington — which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, along with Colorado — is in the process of merging its medical and retail marijuana markets. Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia legalized marijuana in 2014, and many are looking to , where a vote on legalization appears headed for the November ballot, as a bellwether of national legalization efforts.
The public event is the first put on by the Cannabis Law and Policy Project, launched by Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ law professor in fall 2014 to research regulatory issues around Washington’s new legal marijuana industry. The project’s executive director, , said while conference participation will count toward attorneys’ mandatory continuing education credits, the day is aimed at a broader audience.
“We’re going to have a mix of policymakers, lawyers and industry leaders,� he said. “I’m excited about the conference. We’re going to have a good discussion about the various issues impacting the cannabis industry.�
The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 138 at the , 4293 Memorial Way NE. Registration is available , with an early fee of $85 or $120, and $115 or $150 after June 3, and $25 for students anytime.
For more information, contact Méndez at smendez@uw.edu or 206-616-3920.