AN ACT Relating to penalties for marijuana offenses; amending RCW 69.50.4013, 69.50.401, and 69.50.4014; reenacting and amending RCW 69.50.101; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 69.50.4013 and 2015 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 503 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) It is unlawful for any person to possess a controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this chapter.

(2) Except as provided in RCW 69.50.4014, any person who violates this section is guilty of a class C felony punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.

(3)(((a) The possession, by a person twenty-one years of age or older, of useable marijuana, marijuana concentrates, or marijuana-infused products in amounts that do not exceed those set forth in RCW 69.50.360(3) is not a)) None of the following acts in (a) through (d) of this subsection are a violation of this section, this chapter, or any other provision of Washington state law((.)):

(((b))) (a) The possession, by a person twenty-one years of age or older, of any combination of the following amounts of useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates:

(d) The possession of marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana concentrates, and marijuana-infused products being physically transported or delivered within the state, in amounts not exceeding those that may be established under RCW 69.50.385(3), by a licensed employee of a common carrier when performing the duties authorized in accordance with RCW 69.50.382 and 69.50.385((, is not a violation of this section, this chapter, or any other provision of Washington state law)).

(4) No person under twenty-one years of age may possess, manufacture, sell, or distribute marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates, regardless of THC concentration. This does not include qualifying patients with a valid authorization.

(5) The possession by a qualifying patient or designated provider of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or plants in accordance with chapter 69.51A RCW is not a violation of this section, this chapter, or any other provision of Washington state law.

Sec. 2.  RCW 69.50.401 and 2015 c 265 s 34 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance.

(2) Any person who violates this section with respect to:

(a) A controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II which is a narcotic drug or flunitrazepam, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a class B felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than ten years, or (i) fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars if the crime involved less than two kilograms of the drug, or both such imprisonment and fine; or (ii) if the crime involved two or more kilograms of the drug, then fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars for the first two kilograms and not more than fifty dollars for each gram in excess of two kilograms, or both such imprisonment and fine;

(b) Amphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, or methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, is guilty of a class B felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than ten years, or (i) fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars if the crime involved less than two kilograms of the drug, or both such imprisonment and fine; or (ii) if the crime involved two or more kilograms of the drug, then fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars for the first two kilograms and not more than fifty dollars for each gram in excess of two kilograms, or both such imprisonment and fine. Three thousand dollars of the fine may not be suspended. As collected, the first three thousand dollars of the fine must be deposited with the law enforcement agency having responsibility for cleanup of laboratories, sites, or substances used in the manufacture of the methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers. The fine moneys deposited with that law enforcement agency must be used for such clean-up cost;

(c) Any other controlled substance classified in Schedule I, II, or III, is guilty of a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW, except as specifically provided in subsection (4) of this section;

(d) A substance classified in Schedule IV, except flunitrazepam, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, is guilty of a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW; or

(e) A substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.

(3) The production, manufacture, processing, packaging, delivery, distribution, sale, or possession of marijuana in compliance with the terms set forth in RCW 69.50.360, 69.50.363, ((or)) 69.50.366 ((shall)), or 69.50.4013(3) is not ((constitute)) a violation of this section, this chapter, or any other provision of Washington state law.

(4) Any person who violates this section with respect to:

(5) The fines in this section apply to adult offenders only.

Sec. 3.  RCW 69.50.4014 and 2015 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 505 are each amended to read as follows:

Except as provided in RCW 69.50.401(2)(c) and 69.50.401(4), or as otherwise authorized by this chapter or chapter 69.51A RCW, ((any)) a person in possession of the following amounts of marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates is guilty of the following crimes or infractions:

(1) A person ((found guilty of)) in possession of ((forty grams or less of)) marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates in excess of the possession limits in RCW 69.50.4013(3)(a), but not in excess of two times the possession limit in RCW 69.50.4013(3)(a), is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW;

(c) Is guilty of a class C felony as is provided in RCW 69.50.4013(2) if the person is in possession of more than fourteen grams of marijuana concentrates and does not have a license issued by the state liquor and cannabis board permitting the person to possess more than fourteen grams of marijuana concentrates.

Sec. 4.  RCW 69.50.101 and 2015 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 901 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) "Administer" means to apply a controlled substance, whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other means, directly to the body of a patient or research subject by:

(1) a practitioner authorized to prescribe (or, by the practitioner's authorized agent); or

(2) the patient or research subject at the direction and in the presence of the practitioner.

(b) "Agent" means an authorized person who acts on behalf of or at the direction of a manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser. It does not include a common or contract carrier, public warehouseperson, or employee of the carrier or warehouseperson.

(c) "CBD concentration" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.51A.010.

(d) "Commission" means the pharmacy quality assurance commission.

(e) "Controlled substance" means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor included in Schedules I through V as set forth in federal or state laws, or federal or commission rules.

(f)(1) "Controlled substance analog" means a substance the chemical structure of which is substantially similar to the chemical structure of a controlled substance in Schedule I or II and:

(i) that has a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system substantially similar to the stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system of a controlled substance included in Schedule I or II; or

(ii) with respect to a particular individual, that the individual represents or intends to have a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system substantially similar to the stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system of a controlled substance included in Schedule I or II.

(2) The term does not include:

(i) a controlled substance;

(ii) a substance for which there is an approved new drug application;

(iii) a substance with respect to which an exemption is in effect for investigational use by a particular person under Section 505 of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. Sec. 355, to the extent conduct with respect to the substance is pursuant to the exemption; or

(iv) any substance to the extent not intended for human consumption before an exemption takes effect with respect to the substance.

(g) "Deliver" or "delivery((,))" means the actual or constructive transfer from one person to another of a substance, whether or not there is an agency relationship.

(h) "Department" means the department of health.

(i) "Designated provider" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.51A.010.

(j) "Dispense" means the interpretation of a prescription or order for a controlled substance and, pursuant to that prescription or order, the proper selection, measuring, compounding, labeling, or packaging necessary to prepare that prescription or order for delivery.

(k) "Dispenser" means a practitioner who dispenses.

(l) "Distribute" means to deliver other than by administering or dispensing a controlled substance.

(m) "Distributor" means a person who distributes.

(n) "Drug" means (1) a controlled substance recognized as a drug in the official United States pharmacopoeia/national formulary or the official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or any supplement to them; (2) controlled substances intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in individuals or animals; (3) controlled substances (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of individuals or animals; and (4) controlled substances intended for use as a component of any article specified in (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection. The term does not include devices or their components, parts, or accessories.

(o) "Drug enforcement administration" means the drug enforcement administration in the United States Department of Justice, or its successor agency.

(p) "Electronic communication of prescription information" means the transmission of a prescription or refill authorization for a drug of a practitioner using computer systems. The term does not include a prescription or refill authorization verbally transmitted by telephone nor a facsimile manually signed by the practitioner.

(q) "Immediate precursor" means a substance:

(1) that the commission has found to be and by rule designates as being the principal compound commonly used, or produced primarily for use, in the manufacture of a controlled substance;

(2) that is an immediate chemical intermediary used or likely to be used in the manufacture of a controlled substance; and

(3) the control of which is necessary to prevent, curtail, or limit the manufacture of the controlled substance.

(r) "Isomer" means an optical isomer, but in subsection (dd)(5) of this section, RCW 69.50.204(a) (12) and (34), and 69.50.206(b)(4), the term includes any geometrical isomer; in RCW 69.50.204(a) (8) and (42), and 69.50.210(c) the term includes any positional isomer; and in RCW 69.50.204(a)(35), 69.50.204(c), and 69.50.208(a) the term includes any positional or geometric isomer.

(s) "Lot" means a definite quantity of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused product identified by a lot number, every portion or package of which is uniform within recognized tolerances for the factors that appear in the labeling.

(t) "Lot number" must identify the licensee by business or trade name and Washington state unified business identifier number, and the date of harvest or processing for each lot of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused product.

(u) "Manufacture" means the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, conversion, or processing of a controlled substance, either directly or indirectly or by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis, and includes any packaging or repackaging of the substance or labeling or relabeling of its container. The term does not include the preparation, compounding, packaging, repackaging, labeling, or relabeling of a controlled substance:

(1) by a practitioner as an incident to the practitioner's administering or dispensing of a controlled substance in the course of the practitioner's professional practice; or

(2) by a practitioner, or by the practitioner's authorized agent under the practitioner's supervision, for the purpose of, or as an incident to, research, teaching, or chemical analysis and not for sale.

(v) "Marijuana" or "marihuana" means all parts of the plant Cannabis, whether growing or not, with a THC concentration greater than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin. The term does not include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of the plant which is incapable of germination.

(w) "Marijuana concentrates" means products consisting wholly or in part of the resin extracted from any part of the plant Cannabis and having a THC concentration greater than ten percent.

(x) "Marijuana processor" means a person licensed by the state liquor and cannabis board to process marijuana into marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products, package and label marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products for sale in retail outlets, and sell marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products at wholesale to marijuana retailers.

(y) "Marijuana producer" means a person licensed by the state liquor and cannabis board to produce and sell marijuana at wholesale to marijuana processors and other marijuana producers.

(z) "Marijuana products" means useable marijuana, marijuana concentrates, and marijuana-infused products as defined in this section.

(aa) "Marijuana researcher" means a person licensed by the state liquor and cannabis board to produce, process, and possess marijuana for the purposes of conducting research on marijuana and marijuana-derived drug products.

(bb) "Marijuana retailer" means a person licensed by the state liquor and cannabis board to sell marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products in a retail outlet.

(cc) "Marijuana-infused products" means products that contain marijuana or marijuana extracts, are intended for human use, are derived from marijuana as defined in subsection (v) of this section, and have a THC concentration no greater than ten percent. The term "marijuana-infused products" does not include either useable marijuana or marijuana concentrates.

(dd) "Narcotic drug" means any of the following, whether produced directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of vegetable origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis:

(1) Opium, opium derivative, and any derivative of opium or opium derivative, including their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, whenever the existence of the salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation. The term does not include the isoquinoline alkaloids of opium.

(2) Synthetic opiate and any derivative of synthetic opiate, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers, whenever the existence of the isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation.

(3) Poppy straw and concentrate of poppy straw.

(4) Coca leaves, except coca leaves and extracts of coca leaves from which cocaine, ecgonine, and derivatives or ecgonine or their salts have been removed.

(5) Cocaine, or any salt, isomer, or salt of isomer thereof.

(6) Cocaine base.

(7) Ecgonine, or any derivative, salt, isomer, or salt of isomer thereof.

(8) Any compound, mixture, or preparation containing any quantity of any substance referred to in subparagraphs (1) through (7).

(ee) "Opiate" means any substance having an addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a drug having addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability. The term includes opium, substances derived from opium (opium derivatives), and synthetic opiates. The term does not include, unless specifically designated as controlled under RCW 69.50.201, the dextrorotatory isomer of 3-methoxy-n-methylmorphinan and its salts (dextromethorphan). The term includes the racemic and levorotatory forms of dextromethorphan.

(ff) "Opium poppy" means the plant of the species Papaver somniferum L., except its seeds.

(gg) "Person" means individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision or agency, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(hh) "Plant" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.51A.010.

(ii) "Poppy straw" means all parts, except the seeds, of the opium poppy, after mowing.

(jj) "Practitioner" means:

(1) A physician under chapter 18.71 RCW; a physician assistant under chapter 18.71A RCW; an osteopathic physician and surgeon under chapter 18.57 RCW; an osteopathic physician assistant under chapter 18.57A RCW who is licensed under RCW 18.57A.020 subject to any limitations in RCW 18.57A.040; an optometrist licensed under chapter 18.53 RCW who is certified by the optometry board under RCW 18.53.010 subject to any limitations in RCW 18.53.010; a dentist under chapter 18.32 RCW; a podiatric physician and surgeon under chapter 18.22 RCW; a veterinarian under chapter 18.92 RCW; a registered nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or licensed practical nurse under chapter 18.79 RCW; a naturopathic physician under chapter 18.36A RCW who is licensed under RCW 18.36A.030 subject to any limitations in RCW 18.36A.040; a pharmacist under chapter 18.64 RCW or a scientific investigator under this chapter, licensed, registered or otherwise permitted insofar as is consistent with those licensing laws to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to or administer a controlled substance in the course of their professional practice or research in this state.

(2) A pharmacy, hospital or other institution licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to or to administer a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research in this state.

(3) A physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery, a physician licensed to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery, a dentist licensed to practice dentistry, a podiatric physician and surgeon licensed to practice podiatric medicine and surgery, a licensed physician assistant or a licensed osteopathic physician assistant specifically approved to prescribe controlled substances by his or her state's medical quality assurance commission or equivalent and his or her supervising physician, an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed to prescribe controlled substances, or a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in any state of the United States.

(kk) "Prescription" means an order for controlled substances issued by a practitioner duly authorized by law or rule in the state of Washington to prescribe controlled substances within the scope of his or her professional practice for a legitimate medical purpose.

(ll) "Production" includes the manufacturing, planting, cultivating, growing, or harvesting of a controlled substance.

(mm) "Qualifying patient" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.51A.010.

(nn) "Recognition card" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.51A.010.

(oo) "Retail outlet" means a location licensed by the state liquor and cannabis board for the retail sale of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products.

(pp) "Secretary" means the secretary of health or the secretary's designee.

(qq) "State," unless the context otherwise requires, means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

(rr) "THC concentration" means percent of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol content per dry weight of any part of the plant Cannabis, or per volume or weight of marijuana product, or the combined percent of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in any part of the plant Cannabis regardless of moisture content.

(ss) "Ultimate user" means an individual who lawfully possesses a controlled substance for the individual's own use or for the use of a member of the individual's household or for administering to an animal owned by the individual or by a member of the individual's household.

(tt) "Useable marijuana" means dried marijuana flowers. The term "useable marijuana" does not include either marijuana-infused products or marijuana concentrates.

--- END ---