(1) Qualifying patients or designated providers may form a cooperative and share responsibility for acquiring and supplying the resources needed to produce and process cannabis only for the medical use of members of the cooperative. No more than four qualifying patients or designated providers may become members of a cooperative under this section and all members must hold valid recognition cards. All members of the cooperative must be at least twenty-one years old. The designated provider of a qualifying patient who is under twenty-one years old may be a member of a cooperative on the qualifying patient’s behalf. All plants grown in the cooperative must be from an immature plant or clone purchased from a licensed cannabis producer as defined in RCW 69.50.101. Cooperatives may also purchase cannabis seeds from a licensed cannabis producer.

(2) Qualifying patients and designated providers who wish to form a cooperative must register the location with the state liquor and cannabis board and this is the only location where cooperative members may grow or process cannabis. This registration must include the names of all participating members and copies of each participant’s recognition card. Only qualifying patients or designated providers registered with the state liquor and cannabis board in association with the location may participate in growing or receive useable cannabis or cannabis-infused products grown at that location.

(3) No cooperative may be located in any of the following areas:

(a) Within one mile of a cannabis retailer;

(b) Within the smaller of either:

(i) One thousand feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, library, or any game arcade that admission to which is not restricted to persons aged twenty-one years or older; or

(ii) The area restricted by ordinance, if the cooperative is located in a city, county, or town that has passed an ordinance pursuant to RCW 69.50.331(8); or

(c) Where prohibited by a city, town, or county zoning provision.

(4) The state liquor and cannabis board must deny the registration of any cooperative if the location does not comply with the requirements set forth in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) If a qualifying patient or designated provider no longer participates in growing at the location, he or she must notify the state liquor and cannabis board within fifteen days of the date the qualifying patient or designated provider ceases participation. The state liquor and cannabis board must remove his or her name from connection to the cooperative. Additional qualifying patients or designated providers may not join the cooperative until sixty days have passed since the date on which the last qualifying patient or designated provider notifies the state liquor and cannabis board that he or she no longer participates in that cooperative.

(6) Qualifying patients or designated providers who participate in a cooperative under this section:

(a) May grow up to the total amount of plants for which each participating member is authorized on their recognition cards, up to a maximum of sixty plants. At the location, the qualifying patients or designated providers may possess the amount of useable cannabis that can be produced with the number of plants permitted under this subsection, but no more than seventy-two ounces;

(b) May only participate in one cooperative;

(c) May only grow plants in the cooperative and if he or she grows plants in the cooperative may not grow plants elsewhere;

(d) Must provide assistance in growing plants. A monetary contribution or donation is not to be considered assistance under this section. Participants must provide nonmonetary resources and labor in order to participate; and

(e) May not sell, donate, or otherwise provide cannabis, cannabis concentrates, useable cannabis, or cannabis-infused products to a person who is not participating under this section.

(7) The location of the cooperative must be the domicile of one of the participants. Only one cooperative may be located per property tax parcel. A copy of each participant’s recognition card must be kept at the location at all times.

(8) The state liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules to implement this section including:

(a) Any security requirements necessary to ensure the safety of the cooperative and to reduce the risk of diversion from the cooperative;

(b) A seed to sale traceability model that is similar to the seed to sale traceability model used by licensees that will allow the state liquor and cannabis board to track all cannabis grown in a cooperative.

(9) The state liquor and cannabis board or law enforcement may inspect a cooperative registered under this section to ensure members are in compliance with this section. The state liquor and cannabis board must adopt rules on reasonable inspection hours and reasons for inspections.

Intent—Finding—2022 c 16: See note following RCW 69.50.101.

Findings—Application—2017 c 317: See notes following RCW 69.50.325.

Effective date—2016 c 170: See note following RCW 69.50.325.

Findings—Intent—Effective dates—2015 2nd sp.s. c 4: See notes following RCW 69.50.334.

Effective date—2015 c 70 §§ 12, 19, 20, 23-26, 31, 35, 40, and 49: See note following RCW 69.50.357.

Short title—Findings—Intent—References to Washington state liquor control board—Draft legislation—2015 c 70: See notes following RCW 66.08.012.