Washington State’s Senate Bill 5052, which was signed by Governor Inslee in April, is expected to take effect this Friday July 24th. It adds post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries to the list of conditions that qualify an individual to become a medical cannabis patient.
Despite the good news, Bill 5052 makes some regressive changes to Washington State’s medical regime, including shutting down dispensaries and drastically reducing home cultivation and possession amounts. Patients will purchase from the same outlets as recreational consumers, however registered medical patients get tax-free exemptions on their cannabis. The full effects of this Bill won’t be felt until 2016.
Meanwhile a team of lawyers are currently working to have Senate Bill 5052 overturned. The possibility of a court-ordered injunction looks favorable.