Two of three Washington state Liquor Control Board (LCB) members are stepping down next year. Chris Marr, a former state senator from Spokane, said he'll leave the board Jan. 1 to become a lobbyist.
Sharon Foster, the board chair, will retire after this year. Foster served on the board for nearly six years, overseeing the privatization of liquor sales and implementation of Initiative 502, the state's recreational-marijuana system. Foster will retire to travel and spend time at her beach home on Whidbey Island, she said.
Two new members will be appointed by the governor to serve six-year terms.
Foster recently spoke with The Seattle Times about her tenure:
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: "I am proud of what we've done with marijuana ... I think we'll go down in the history books as doing it right."
Q: Are we better off than Colorado?
A: "We did it much slower than Colorado. Colorado already had a medical-marijuana program in place. We didn't. So for them, they did it with a constitutional amendment and they did it faster. I think it's been proven that just because they did it faster doesn't mean they did it better."
Q: What mistakes do you think the Washington Liquor Board has made?
A: "We would have gone slower. I think, above all, in my mind it would be best if we right now were where we were six months ago. I think we would have less frustrations with people. People were clamoring out there. And I kept saying, 'You know, good heavens, if people don't have their weed for a month or two, the world is not going to fall apart.' "
Q: What problems do you see going forward that your successor will have to address?
A: "Medical marijuana, certainly. Since I'm leaving, I can say this: I do believe the LCB is the best agency to regulate and enforce both recreational and medical. I think the Department of Health will have a big role to play whether it's a registry or whether there's actually people ... who get trained to sell medical marijuana."
Q: With regard to Seattle, medical-marijuana stores are proliferating. Do you think Seattle is treating the issue in the right way?
A: "I'm disappointed that Seattle let it go as much as it did. ... I think that will play itself out in the Legislature. I would think these producers, processors and retailers of ours that are paying these taxes and they've got somebody five doors down that's being able to sell something that's not tested and they're not paying any tax on it. And where the hell did it come from? I think that group will coalesce around a fair, level playing field."
Q: What about counties and cities banning or putting moratoriums on the I-502 marijuana industry?
A: "I ... would hope that communities that do have marijuana ... that they're responsible and that can be shown to places that do have bans that it's a legitimate industry, that it brings jobs to their community and brings tax dollars to their community. I know in front of the Legislature this year there likely will be some legislation that says tax money ought to be shared with communities. Well, if they don't have marijuana I don't think they ought to have a share of the revenues. Maybe that's the carrot."
Q: Did you think marijuana would be legalized during your lifetime?
A: "I don't think it ever crossed my mind that it would ever become legal. It was so daring and so risqué to smoke a joint. There was great glamour in it because it was so risqué."
Q: Do you think that "glamour" will subside?
A: "I do. I think there may be less people in the long run that smoke marijuana than do right now once the glamour wears off. I recently spoke to a group called Wine America, winemakers from across the United States. Everybody's concerned, will marijuana replace a nice glass of wine or a good Scotch or something?
I just said, 'I think you ought to promote, if you're having marijuana brownies, you ought to have them with a good glass of Washington wine.' "
Q: Is this a good job?
A: "It's a fantastic job – I hope whoever replaces me enjoys it as much as I have. You don't come in to make a lot of money. I make $58,000 a year plus health benefits. I didn't take this job to get rich.
"As hard as a board member has to work these days, maybe it ought to be paid a little more."
Q: You're retiring, does that open new doors?
A: "For marijuana use?
My physical therapist said to me the other day, 'Sharon, have you been using any of that alternate product?'
And I looked at her and said, 'You know – I hadn't thought about that.' And I said, 'Maybe I should be for my knee ...' "
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: The Seattle Times | News, sports, weather, events in the Northwest
Author: Evan Bush
Contact: Services | Seattle Times Newspaper
Website: Liquor board chair: “I am proud of what we’ve done with marijuana” | Local News | The Seattle Times
Sharon Foster, the board chair, will retire after this year. Foster served on the board for nearly six years, overseeing the privatization of liquor sales and implementation of Initiative 502, the state's recreational-marijuana system. Foster will retire to travel and spend time at her beach home on Whidbey Island, she said.
Two new members will be appointed by the governor to serve six-year terms.
Foster recently spoke with The Seattle Times about her tenure:
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: "I am proud of what we've done with marijuana ... I think we'll go down in the history books as doing it right."
Q: Are we better off than Colorado?
A: "We did it much slower than Colorado. Colorado already had a medical-marijuana program in place. We didn't. So for them, they did it with a constitutional amendment and they did it faster. I think it's been proven that just because they did it faster doesn't mean they did it better."
Q: What mistakes do you think the Washington Liquor Board has made?
A: "We would have gone slower. I think, above all, in my mind it would be best if we right now were where we were six months ago. I think we would have less frustrations with people. People were clamoring out there. And I kept saying, 'You know, good heavens, if people don't have their weed for a month or two, the world is not going to fall apart.' "
Q: What problems do you see going forward that your successor will have to address?
A: "Medical marijuana, certainly. Since I'm leaving, I can say this: I do believe the LCB is the best agency to regulate and enforce both recreational and medical. I think the Department of Health will have a big role to play whether it's a registry or whether there's actually people ... who get trained to sell medical marijuana."
Q: With regard to Seattle, medical-marijuana stores are proliferating. Do you think Seattle is treating the issue in the right way?
A: "I'm disappointed that Seattle let it go as much as it did. ... I think that will play itself out in the Legislature. I would think these producers, processors and retailers of ours that are paying these taxes and they've got somebody five doors down that's being able to sell something that's not tested and they're not paying any tax on it. And where the hell did it come from? I think that group will coalesce around a fair, level playing field."
Q: What about counties and cities banning or putting moratoriums on the I-502 marijuana industry?
A: "I ... would hope that communities that do have marijuana ... that they're responsible and that can be shown to places that do have bans that it's a legitimate industry, that it brings jobs to their community and brings tax dollars to their community. I know in front of the Legislature this year there likely will be some legislation that says tax money ought to be shared with communities. Well, if they don't have marijuana I don't think they ought to have a share of the revenues. Maybe that's the carrot."
Q: Did you think marijuana would be legalized during your lifetime?
A: "I don't think it ever crossed my mind that it would ever become legal. It was so daring and so risqué to smoke a joint. There was great glamour in it because it was so risqué."
Q: Do you think that "glamour" will subside?
A: "I do. I think there may be less people in the long run that smoke marijuana than do right now once the glamour wears off. I recently spoke to a group called Wine America, winemakers from across the United States. Everybody's concerned, will marijuana replace a nice glass of wine or a good Scotch or something?
I just said, 'I think you ought to promote, if you're having marijuana brownies, you ought to have them with a good glass of Washington wine.' "
Q: Is this a good job?
A: "It's a fantastic job – I hope whoever replaces me enjoys it as much as I have. You don't come in to make a lot of money. I make $58,000 a year plus health benefits. I didn't take this job to get rich.
"As hard as a board member has to work these days, maybe it ought to be paid a little more."
Q: You're retiring, does that open new doors?
A: "For marijuana use?
My physical therapist said to me the other day, 'Sharon, have you been using any of that alternate product?'
And I looked at her and said, 'You know – I hadn't thought about that.' And I said, 'Maybe I should be for my knee ...' "
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: The Seattle Times | News, sports, weather, events in the Northwest
Author: Evan Bush
Contact: Services | Seattle Times Newspaper
Website: Liquor board chair: “I am proud of what we’ve done with marijuana” | Local News | The Seattle Times
