One of Washington’s most prominent opponents of medical marijuana, State Representative Christopher Hurst, just held a public hearing to look at the “Home Grow” bill, HB 2629. Cannabis activists were a bit shocked to see how friendly Hurst was to the patients who were testifying, on account of his former career as a narcotics officer and outspoken opponent of the medical cannabis industry.
This bill was not even given a chance though, as congressman Hurst heads the Commerce and Gaming Committee, he did not give his fellow committee members a chance to vote on the bill.
In the past, Hurst has said that he believes most medical cannabis patients are “faking it” and that most of the medical dispensaries should be considered part of the black market. According to Hurst, “So-called medical today, for the most part is a joke. We’re going to change all that.”
As recently as last year, the congressman has recommended law enforcement auctioning off medical cannabis taken from dispensaries. He does admit that he is worried about medical dispensaries competing with the state-licensed cannabis stores. “We have to really, really take a hard look and say: ‘Do we really want to be competing with an enterprise that is 99 and nine-tenths percent — maybe not nine-tenths but 99.2 percent — just a criminal enterprise?’”
This vote could come up again in the future but it is unlikely that this politician or many others will allow citizens to have the unhampered ability to grow cannabis at home.