Summary/Overview: The State of Washington has a very liberal view towards the hemp and marijuana industry, with industrial hemp being legal to cultivate since 2016, and the possession of up to one ounce of weed since 2012. The state has a medical marijuana program since 1998, and the CBD use is completely legal and quite popular here.
CBD in the Evergreen State
The voters of Washington passed Initiative 502 in 2012, related to excluding hemp with less than 0.3% THC from the list of banned substances. This opened the way for establishing a research pilot program for the cultivation of industrial hemp, and finally legalizing the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp in the state in 2016.
This law was amended in 2017, to include new provisions, and these efforts resulted in 142 acres of industrial hemp being grown in Washington in 2018. The program is run by the Washington State Department of Agriculture Industrial Hemp Program.
US hemp growth policy
Cultivating hemp is legal in many countries for a long time. Countries like China, India, Germany, France, and others have successful hemp cultivation programs and are the major producers of this crop in the world. The US allowed growing of hemp for research purposes in 2014, with clearly separating industrial hemp and marijuana as two separate varieties of the cannabis plant. Later in 2018, the US Farm Bill allowed the cultivation of hemp on a federal level, allowing the commercial growth of this crop.
The main uses of industrial hemp are for the production of fiber, rope, paper, biofuel, bioplastic, hemp oil, CBD, animal feed, and more. Most of the world is turning towards using recyclable materials and green, renewable sources of raw materials for different applications, and this trend has sparked an increased need for industrial hemp.
The US hemp processing industry relies on imports: hemp fiber and paper from China and India, hemp and CBD oil are usually imported from Canada and Germany. The need for an increase in the production of domestic hemp is evident, and that is why more and more crops are being planted across the US every year.
The cannabis plant, as you well know, has two main varieties, hemp, and marijuana. Hemp is rich in CBD and marijuana is rich in THC. The hybrids between these two are strains have good amounts of both THC and CBD, appreciated for their strong medicinal properties. Here I bring you an overview of two such strains.
- Trident is the name of a hybrid strain rich in CBD and with some very nice effects. The usual CBD content ranges around 12% and the THC content is about 6%, making this strain very useful in treating several medical conditions. The buds smell of citruses, woods, and pines, and leave a citrusy, woodsy flavor. The small THC amount contributes to a happy, relaxed, creative high, with an increase in focus and energy. The high CBD amount contributes to pain relief, stress and depression relief, help with muscle spasms, and reduction of inflammation.
- Yin & Yang is a CBD-rich strain that produces about 6% THC and up to 13% CBD. This is a strain with a balanced terpene profile, and the low THC content brings a boost in focus, energy, and calm, pleasant feelings. The high CBD amount helps with pain management, stress, and depression relief, and helps in sleep, battling insomnia.
Washington CBD Oil Law
The Washington State law says that any interested party can cultivate industrial hemp as an agricultural cash crop, the law taking effect in 2016. The law clearly separates hemp from the list of controlled substances, and allows legal cultivation, growing, processing, and commercial trade of this crop.
The industrial hemp produced in this state is mostly used for the production of CBD. Also, the use of CBD products is completely legal in this state, as long as the CBD products are in compliance with the federal laws.
Medical Mary Jane
The people of Washington can use marijuana for medicinal purposes since 1998. The law stipulates several qualifying conditions such as cancer, hepatitis C, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, seizures, Crohn’s disease, traumatic brain injury, nausea, and persistent muscle spasms, and any other terminal or debilitating medical condition.
The registered patients can possess up to 3 ounces of usable marijuana, up to 48 ounces of marijuana-infused products in solid form, and up to 216 ounces of marijuana-infused products in liquid form. Patients can also cultivate up to 6 plants at home. This program is run by the Washington State Department of Health Medical Marijuana and is currently serving more than 39,300 patients.
Washingtonians can freely enjoy weed
Initiative 502 that separated hemp from marijuana also approved the adult possession of up to one ounce of weed for personal use in private. Any person over 21 years of age in Washington can light up a joint in the comfort of their home without breaking any laws and possess up to one ounce of weed. If anyone is caught smoking weed in public will only get a $100 fine. A person in possession of one ounce to 40 grams will sleep a night in prison and pay a $1K fine, and anything over 40 grams is a felony punishable with 5 years in prison and $10K fine.
The sale of marijuana in the state is done in state-licensed dispensaries, and anyone caught dealing weed illegally will get a felony charge with 5 years sentence and up to $10K fine. The dispensaries selling medical marijuana in the state have been overtaken by the dispensaries selling recreational marijuana, and any registered patient can purchase their marijuana tax-free and up to 3 times the sale limit at licensed stores that have medical marijuana endorsements.
CBD Buying Options
The Washingtonians can find many good retail stores carrying good CBD products across the state. Still, the best stores are concentrated in and around Seattle, in Kirkland, Burien, and Lynwood.
Anyone can freely order any type of CBD product online and have it delivered to their home if they don’t have a dispensary near them or like to shop in the privacy of their home.
Finishing Thoughts
Washington State has established an industrial hemp program in 2016, allowing commercial cultivation of hemp in the state, with crops being used for the production of CBD. The state has a medical marijuana program in place since 1998, with several qualifying conditions. Plus, the recreational use of marijuana is legal in this state, with possession of up to one ounce of weed.
The popularity of recreational marijuana has driven the medical dispensaries to a close, and all the sales of marijuana in Washington now go through state-licensed recreational dispensaries, and registered patients can purchase 3 times the allowed limit, and they get their weed tax-free. Lastly, CBD is completely legal in Washington, with many brick and mortar retail places popping up all across the state and all of them offering good CBD products. That said, anyone can also order their CBD oil or other CBD products from any online seller.
Sources:
https://www.votehemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WA_i502.pdf
https://agr.wa.gov/inspection/hemp/default.aspxhttps://www.leafly.com/hybrid/trident
https://weedadvisor.com/product/yin-yang-15g/
https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Marijuana/MedicalMarijuana/AuthorizationDatabase/DataandStatistics
https://norml.org/laws/item/washington-penalties-2
