State of Washington to Hold Public Hearing on Fate of Home Grows

Many green-thumbed adults in the state of Washington have been dreaming of recreational cannabis gardens since voting to pass Initiative 502 in 2012, and those dreams may be drawing closer to reality.

A public hearing in Olympia on Oct. 4 could plant the seed for home cultivation in the state, as the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) will collect input from Washington residents.

A recently passed bill gave the order for the WSLCB to “conduct a study of regulatory options for the legalization of marijuana plant possession and cultivation by recreational marijuana users.” The bill requires the board to submit their findings and recommendations no later than Dec. 1 of this year.

Three regulatory possibilities for recreational home grows.

State Control

The first option strictly regulates home cultivation from the state level and develops a “regulatory framework that requires a permit and tracking of plants throughout the state, with enforcement jurisdiction shared between the WSLCB and local authorities.”

• Anyone without a permit would be prohibited from growing cannabis in their residence.
• This scenario would limit home grows to four plants per…