We are proud to advocate on behalf of a legal, quality-controlled and well-regulated taxed cannabis marketplace that keeps products out of the hands of children. Following President Trump's Executive Order "Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research," WACA distributed a press release marking the historic milestone in upholding a safe, regulated marketplace for cannabis that keeps products out of the hands of children. WACA's national partner, the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp, published an infographic of the process ahead for rescheduling cannabis.

March 12 was Sine Die and marked the end of the 2026 Legislative Session. Efforts to increase taxes on cannabis failed, along with proposals that would have increased the tax burden on most legal cannabis products while reducing it for elite luxury items. WACA looks forward to a responsible policymaking conversation among stakeholders in the interim to discuss how best to reform our state's tax structure for cannabis, which is the highest tax rate on cannabis in the world and further fuels the illicit marketplace. 

An archive of past agendas may be found on our website, including our agenda for the past 2026 Legislative Agenda. Each agenda is the result of an annual internal democratic process among WACA membership. 

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business published a deep dive into the state of the legal cannabis industry last month and featured WACA leadership sharing insights, including two board members. “'The failure rate among cannabis businesses has been pretty dramatic,' Vicki Christophersen, executive director of the Washington Cannabusiness Association (WACA), told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business. 'It has been very turbulent.' We encourage you to read the whole thing!

Cannabis policymaking continues to feature critical conversations, including the importance of keeping cannabis products out of the hands of kids. In Washington, licensed retailers have a 95% compliance rate, which means they are significantly more successful in blocking youth access than liquor and tobacco retailers. Ongoing academic research also reflects evidence that youth access is flat or declining in legal markets. 

The emerging, regulated cannabis and hemp industries are still misunderstood by some. WACA works tirelessly to ensure its members acknowledge and embrace their responsibility to follow the law, earn public trust, and collaborate to strengthen the system that protects consumers and communities alike. As we reflect on the first 10 years of legalization and prepare for the next 10 years, we are proud to advocate on behalf of a regulated marketplace that directly employs 11,330 workers, supports 18,360 jobs in our state and in 2020 generated $660.8 million in state and local tax revenues for public services.

Interested in learning more about the economic impact of the legal cannabis marketplace in Washington? Please reach out to us to receive a copy of our Economic Impact Analysis commissioned by WACA in 2021 and conducted by Dr. Spencer Cohen of High Peak Strategy.