Initiative Outline
This initiative outline gives a good overview of the 1996 Washington Hemp
Initiative. It helps provide a framework for the
complete text of the initiative which is
approximately 9 pages.
- How Hemp is defined
- This initiative will regulate hemp (marijuana) for industrial,
medicinal and intoxicating purposes.
- Industrial hemp is hemp with a THC content of 0.5% or less. Industrial
hemp is regulated as any other non-intoxicating agricultural commodity
and is not treated as a controlled substance.
- Medicinal Hemp use will require a prescription from a licensed
physician. It may be purchased by patients with prescriptions in drug
stores and pharmacies.
- Intoxicating hemp (marijuana) is regulated based on existing alcohol
laws. It may be purchased by adults 21 and older in state liquor stores
and Intoxicating Hemp Establishments (IHE's).
- Restrictions on Hemp use.
- You must be 21 or older to use intoxicating hemp.
- Minors are not allowed where intoxicating hemp is grown, sold or
consumed.
- The penalties for selling to a minor are treated similar to the laws
governing alcohol.
- Restriction on advertising and public display.
- There will be stricter limitations on advertising of intoxicating hemp
than currently exist for liquor and tobacco.
- Advertising is limited to point of sale, medical journals and adult
magazines.
- Intoxicating and medicinal hemp plants must be grown indoors, and out of
public view. For greenhouses within public view, nontransparent
material must be used on the sides and roof to screen the plants from
public view.
- Personal Use Quantity
- Any adult 21 or older is allowed to grow "personal use quantity"
without a license. (This personal use quantity provision is patterned
after the alcohol laws where any adult is allowed to brew up to the 200
gallons of beer and wine annually without a license. )
- A "personal use quantity" is limited to twelve ounces of harvested hemp
per year and no more than 3 plants can be growing at any time.
- There is no limit to the amount of intoxicating hemp an adult can buy
from the state liquor store or an Intoxicating Hemp Establishment.
- How Hemp is licensed
- All licenses are issued by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
- A commercial growers license is $75 annually --- the same as a Wine
Grower's license.
- A wholesalers license is $500 annually --- the same as for beer
wholesalers.
- An Intoxicating Hemp Establishment license (IHE) is $2000 --- the
same (or more) than class H liquor licenses (depends of population
of city).
- How Hemp is taxed
- Growers are required to purchase and affix tax stamps at $20 per ounce.
- A retail tax of 45% is applied to sales at state liqour stores and
IHE's. (Note that this tax does not apply to medicinal or industrial
hemp. Only to intoxicating hemp.)
- Intoxicating Hemp Establishments (IHE's)
- The consumption of intoxicating hemp in public places shall be limited
to intoxicating hemp establishments.
- The sale or consumption of alcohol is prohibited in intoxicating hemp
establishments.
- The retail sale of intoxicating hemp is limited to intoxicating hemp
establishments and state liquor stores.
- The Local Option
- IHE licenses are subject to the same zoning restrictions and limitations
as class H liquor licenses.
- Each city has the option to disallow any IHE's in their city. This is
done by election just like the current local option for alcohol.
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