The term marijuana is currently used in various statutory contexts throughout the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).  Under the state Uniform Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is defined to include all parts of the plant Cannabis, whether growing or not, with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration greater than 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis, and includes the seeds, resin extracted from any part of the plant, and every compound, manufacture, salt derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or resin.

Hemp is also derived from the Cannabis plant.  Under the RCW chapter establishing a licensing and regulatory program for hemp production, hemp is defined as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant, including the seeds and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

A key factor in distinguishing marijuana and hemp is the amounts of THC each contains.  Specifically, whether the THC concentration is greater than, or not more than, 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.  The THC concentration references the percentage of delta-9 THC content per dry weight of any part of the Cannabis plant, or per volume or weight of the product, or the combined percentage of delta-9 THC and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in any part of the Cannabis plant, regardless of moisture content.

Technical changes are made throughout the RCW replacing the term marijuana with the term cannabis.  The term marijuana as used under federal law generally refers to the term cannabis used throughout the RCW.

The Liquor and Cannabis Board must use expedited rulemaking to replace the term marijuana with the term cannabis throughout Title 314 of the Washington Administrative Code.