Cannabis Board roundtable addresses safety measures

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) held a virtual roundtable discussion on March 29 to address the deadly crimewave happening at cannabis retailers across our state. LCB Board Chair David Postman, who moderated the roundtable, called it "a massive public safety crisis roaring through the state.” He pointed out that there have been more than 70 cannabis shop robberies in just the first 83 days in 2022, and this number could be higher.

 

The most serious armed robbery to date was at World of Weed on March 19 when employee Jordan Brown was shot and killed. Police are still looking for the suspects – Marshon Jones, 15, and Montrell Hatfield, 16. World of Weed owner Alden Linn participated in the roundtable.

 

"We pride ourselves on having…a great safety record to keep employees safe. We’ve always gone above and beyond so this was a total shock to us,” Linn said of the robbery and Brown’s death, who he called "a stellar employee” respected and appreciated in the community. 

"He was a star of our whole team.”

 

With Linn were other local cannabis store owners including Aaron Varney, a partner in Seattle’s Dockside Cannabis; Sara Eltinge, CEO of The Herbery in Vancouver, WA; and Jenna Rodriguez, co-owner of Gypsy Greens in Olympia and Chehalis. All of them spoke of the fear and frustration they and their employees are going through.

 

"This last year has been the scariest,” Rodriguez said. "When armed robberies started happening, it put everyone on edge, not if it will happen to us but when. This seems to be part of our day-to-day life at this point.”

 

These cannabis store representatives attended the roundtable to meet with industry leaders and local elected officials about what the state can do to help protect the retailers and their employees that bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for the state in taxes each year. LCB Director Rick Garza; Michael Correia, Director of Govt. Affairs for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA); State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti; Sen. Karen Keiser; Rep. Kelly Chambers; and Sen. T’wina Nobles were among those present.

 

The conversations focused largely on two areas: what could be done at the federal level with the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act and how the LCB could facilitate security measures at shops locally. Everyone agreed that emergency measures need to be taken now given the dire situation of constant armed robberies and since no one knows when a federal decision will be made to allow cannabis retailers to utilize banking services like every other business. 

 

"We are in a public safety crisis,” Varney said. "Not having the ability to use financial tools available to other businesses puts us and the community at risk. 47.1 percent of cash in all the 

(cannabis shop) registers in Washington State are Washington State funds – LCB and Washington State money that people are collecting and protecting. Some of that money could go a long way into meeting the cost of security.”

 

"I have to be skeptical that Congress will past it this year,” Keiser said of the SAFE Act, "but my problem is that in this state we are at an impasse. We cannot dither around and wait for Congress to act.”

 

Keiser suggested strategies like two-door entries at cannabis shops in which security would allow patrons in through one door and verify them before allowing them into the shop itself. She said it is "a dangerous workplace issue” at hand that the state Department of Labor and Industry must be involved in.

 

"I’m asking the LCB to work with L&I staff on what we should do to protect workers. This is an immediate need and I think we could do this on an emergency basis.”

 

The shop owners said that while a two-door could be a good idea, affording security staff remains a barrier for many cannabis retailers. 

 

"I came today to ask for support and that protection,” Varney said. "The folks that are able to afford armed guards are getting them and the folks who aren’t are even bigger targets.”

 

Postman said the LCB can provide a convening role in bringing together law enforcement and security experts to inform and train cannabis retail staff, and he also expressed support for bringing armored vehicles to help cannabis shops transport their cash out of the store. 

 

Another issue raised concerned cannabis shops working together for a unified approach to safety. The Herbery’s Sara Eltinge said people in the cannabis industry are not willing to share best practices and collaborate with each other and that this has to change. 

 

"If ever there was a time to share what is working and not, this crisis is that time. Whether you are large multi store or one shop, the goal needs to be that employees are safe. If we can’t all figure out a way for everyone to be safe, we’re failing,” she said. 

 

Moving to a cashless system appears to be the safest for cannabis retailers. Correia of NCIA said local residents need to put pressure on Sen. Maria Cantwell to sign on as a SAFE Act co-sponsor, and also Sen. Patty Murray to keep lobbying for the Act’s passage. The house has passed it six times over recent years but the Senate has not passed it once. State Treasurer Pellicciotti said the SAFE Act is currently attached to the America Competes Act that’s now before Congress. Pellicciotti was in Washington, DC earlier this month meeting with state treasurers from around the U.S. to highlight safe banking for cannabis enterprises. 

 

"I am encouraged that state treasurers around the country getting behind this issue,” he said, "engaging with their elected representatives and especially senators….”

 

LCB director Garza and chair Postman assured the roundtable participants that Gov. Inslee is taking the spate of cannabis shop robberies very seriously. 

 

Garza said that while waiting for the federal government to act, state government can act in the meanwhile.

 

"Working with licensees is something we can do,” Garza said. "We will begin those discussions immediately. The board will brainstorm among itself for action and emergency acts. We have every intention to address these issues with our licensees.”