The Washington state Senate last Wednesday night approved a bill that would allow for licensed medical marijuana dispensaries on a vote of 29-20. The bill, SB 5073, was approved only after lengthy debate and after several amendments opposed by supporters were adopted.

[image:1 align:left caption:true]Under Washington's existing medical marijuana law, patients or caregivers can grow their own medicine, but there is no provision for sales. But not every patient can grow his or her own medicine, and some patients have formed collectives to grow cooperatively. Others have gone further, forming dispensaries that serve hundreds or even thousands of patients.

Since state law does not provide for dispensaries, some prosecutors have gone after them. The state itself sends mixed signals, with the Health Department saying they're not legal, but the Revenue Department seeking sales taxes from them.

The measure authorizes the Department of Health to license dispensaries and the Department of Agriculture to license growers. It also creates a registry when authorized users can enroll, providing them with greater protection from prosecution.

"My intention is to ensure patients who are qualified have safe, secure reliable source for the medication that works for them," said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), one of the bill's sponsors.

The bill passed the Senate only after being amended to require dispensaries to be nonprofits, to ban dispensary advertising in newspapers, and to give municipalities the power of approving dispensary locations.

The measure now heads to the House. The House companion bill is HB 1100.