(1) There shall be a marijuana research license that permits a licensee to produce, process, and possess marijuana for the following limited research purposes:

(a) To test chemical potency and composition levels;

(b) To conduct clinical investigations of marijuana-derived drug products;

(c) To conduct research on the efficacy and safety of administering marijuana as part of medical treatment; and

(d) To conduct genomic or agricultural research.

(2) As part of the application process for a marijuana research license, an applicant must submit to the life sciences discovery fund authority a description of the research that is intended to be conducted. The life sciences discovery fund authority must review the project and determine that it meets the requirements of subsection (1) of this section. If the life sciences discovery fund authority determines that the research project does not meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, the application must be denied.

(3) A marijuana research licensee may only sell marijuana grown or within its operation to other marijuana research licensees. The state liquor and cannabis board may revoke a marijuana research license for violations of this subsection.

(4) A marijuana research licensee may contract with the University of Washington or Washington State University to perform research in conjunction with the university. All research projects, not including those projects conducted pursuant to a contract entered into under RCW 28B.20.502(3), must be approved by the life sciences discovery fund authority and meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.

(5) In establishing a marijuana research license, the state liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules on the following:

(a) Application requirements;

(b) Marijuana research license renewal requirements, including whether additional research projects may be added or considered;

(c) Conditions for license revocation;

(d) Security measures to ensure marijuana is not diverted to purposes other than research;

(e) Amount of plants, useable marijuana, marijuana concentrates, or marijuana-infused products a licensee may have on its premises;

(f) Licensee reporting requirements;

(g) Conditions under which marijuana grown by marijuana processors may be donated to marijuana research licensees; and

(h) Additional requirements deemed necessary by the state liquor and cannabis board.

(6) The production, processing, possession, delivery, donation, and sale of marijuana in accordance with this section and the rules adopted to implement and enforce it, by a validly licensed marijuana researcher, shall not be a criminal or civil offense under Washington state law. Every marijuana research license must be issued in the name of the applicant, must specify the location at which the marijuana researcher intends to operate, which must be within the state of Washington, and the holder thereof may not allow any other person to use the license.

(7) The application fee for a marijuana research license is two hundred fifty dollars. The annual fee for issuance and renewal of a marijuana research license is one thousand dollars. Fifty percent of the application fee, the issuance fee, and the renewal fee must be deposited to the life sciences discovery fund under RCW 43.350.070, or, if that fund ceases to exist, to the general fund.

[2015 2nd sp.s. c 4 § 1501; 2015 c 71 § 1.]

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