Marijuana Grow Space Over University of Washington Estimates
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is withdrawing the second and third marijuana producer applications. At the time of application in 2013, a party could apply for three total producer applications. One was processed while the second and third applications remained pending.
The 2015 Washington State Cannabis Patient Protection Act (Supplemental Senate Bill 5052) required the WSLCB to assess the production needs for medical marijuana patients in Washington. The University of Washington Cannabis and Law Policy Project researched the total licensed plant canopy and determined 10 million square feet of plant canopy as sufficient to meet the demands of both the recreational and the medical markets in Washington State. As of the date of this article, the total licensed cannabis canopy in Washington is 12 million square feet. There are other applications from the initial application period that are currently being processed which will add to the total licensed canopy.