OZ Stoners Posted January 30, 2013 Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 Wanted: A green thumb with extensive knowledge of the black, or at least gray, market.As Washington state tries to figure out how to regulate its newly legal marijuana, officials are hiring an adviser ... View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZ Stoners Posted January 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 SEATTLE - Wanted: A green thumb with extensive knowledge of the black, or at least grey, market. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZ Stoners Posted January 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 WANTED: A green thumb with extensive knowledge of the black, or at least gray, market.View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZ Stoners Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 They're figuring out how to regulate it. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loves420 Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Dozens interested in being Washington's pot consultant By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press Published: Jan 31, 2013 TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - The job description requests an unlikely mix ofskills: five years of regulatory experience, with a law degreepreferred, and extensive knowledge of all things marijuana. But that didn't stop dozens of people from turning out Wednesday - inflannel and suits, ponytails and hemp necklaces - to find out more aboutbecoming Washington state's official marijuana consultant. As officials figure out how to regulate the state's newly legalmarijuana, they're hiring an adviser to fill in the gaps of the typicalbureaucrat's education: how cannabis is best grown, dried, tested,labeled, packaged, regulated and cooked into brownies. The Liquor Control Board, the agency charged with developing rules forthe marijuana industry, reserved a convention center hall for a statebidding expert to take questions about the position and the hiringprocess. "Since it's not unlikely with this audience, would a felony convictionpreclude you from this contract?" asked Rose Habib, an analyticalchemist from a marijuana testing lab in Missoula, Mont. The answer: It depends. A pot-related conviction is probably fine, but a"heinous felony," not so much, responded John Farley, a procurementcoordinator with the Liquor Control Board. Washington and Colorado this fall became the first states to pass lawslegalizing the recreational use of marijuana and setting up systems ofstate-licensed growers, processors and retail stores where adults over21 can walk in and buy up to an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis. Both states are working to develop rules for the emerging pot industry.Up in the air is everything from how many growers and stores thereshould be, to how the marijuana should be tested to ensure people don'tget sick. Sales are due to begin in Washington state in December. Washington's Liquor Control Board has a long and "very good" historywith licensing and regulation, spokesman Mikhail Carpenter said. "But there are some technical aspects with marijuana we could use a consultant to help us with," Carpenter said. The board has advertised for consulting services in four categories. Thefirst is "product and industry knowledge" and requires "at least threeyears of consulting experience relating to the knowledge of the cannabisindustry, including but not limited to product growth, harvesting,packaging, product infusion and product safety." Other categories cover quality testing, including how to test for levelsof THC, the compound that gets marijuana users high; statisticalanalysis of how much marijuana the state's licensed growers shouldproduce; and the development of regulations, a category that requires a"strong understanding of state, local or federal government processes,"with a law degree preferred. Farley said the state hopes to award a single contract covering all fourcategories, but if no bidder or team of bidders has expertise in allfields- regulatory law, statistical analysis and pot growing - multiplecontracts could be awarded. Or bidders who are strong in one categorycould team up with those who are strong in another. Bids are due Feb.15, with the contract awarded in March. Habib, the chemist, said she's part of a team of marijuana andregulatory experts from Montana who are bidding for the contract.They're fed up with federal raids on medical dispensaries there. "We want to move here and make it work. We want to be somewhere this is moving forward and being embraced socially," she said. Khurshid Khoja, a corporate lawyer from San Francisco, wore a suit andsat beside a balding, ponytailed man in a gray sweatshirt - EdRosenthal, a co-founder of High Times magazine and a recognized experton marijuana cultivation. They're on a team bidding for the contract. "I've seen the effect of regulation of marijuana all my life," Khojasaid. "I'd like to see a more rational, scientific approach to it." Several people asked whether winning the contract, or evensubcontracting with the winning bidder, would preclude them from gettingstate licenses to grow, process or sell cannabis. Farley said yes: Itwould pose a conflict of interest to have the consultant helping developthe regulations being subject to those rules. But once the contract hasexpired, they could apply for state marijuana licenses, he said. After the questions ended, the bidders mingled, exchanging businesscards and talking about how they might team up. One Seattle-areamarijuana grower, a college student who declined to give his name afternoting that a dispensary he worked with had been raided by federalauthorities in 2011, approached Rosenthal star-struck. "It would be my dream to smoke a bowl with you after this," he said. http://www.katu.com/news/business/Dozens-interested-in-being-Washingtons-pot-consultant-189197311.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOSTOK Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 SEATTLE (AP) — Wanted: A green thumb with extensive knowledge of the black, or at least gray, market.As Washington state tries to figure out how to regulate its newly legal marijuana, officials are hiring an adviser on all things weed: how it’s best grown, tested, labeled, and cooked into brownies.Those angling for the job are expected to meet Wednesday in Tacoma with state bidding experts to discuss the requirements and hiring process. Officials reserved a convention center hall that fits 275 people — plus an overflow room.Last fall, Washington and Colorado became the first states to pass laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and setting up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores. Adults over 21 can buy up to an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis. link: http://the420times.com/2013/01/green-thumb-wash-state-looks-for-pot-consultant/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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