Seattle Schools: Most drug disciplinary actions involve marijuana

Last night, KOMO broadcast a story about marijuana-related disciplinary incidents among Seattle students so far this school year.



While school administrators mostly confiscate smoked marijuana from students, they are increasingly confiscating marijuana-infused foods and beverages as they learn to differentiate them from regular foods.

Pediatricians recommend strict enforcement of marijuana laws

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an updated policy statement about marijuana laws on Monday.  One of their recommendations says: 

In states that have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, the AAP strongly recommends strict enforcement of rules and regulation that limit access and marketing and advertising to youth.

In our state, the recreational (I-502) marijuana rules and regulations that are meant to limit access, marketing, and advertising are only effective if they are enforced.  Many policies are based on research conducted on limiting access, marketing, and advertising for alcohol and tobacco.  

One proven way to limit access is to limit the number of stores in a community.  A few bills introduced to the state legislature this session would increase the number of marijuana stores allowed in communities.  Current rules prohibit stores from being 1,000 feet from schools, community centers, and other places young people frequent.  The legislature is considering bills that would reduce this buffer to allow for more marijuana shops. Rules that limit underage access to marijuana not only need to be enforced, they need to be maintained, not made weaker.  

Medical marijuana products at school

Cannabis Quencher Strawberry Lemonade was confiscated from a high school student by Seattle Public Schools staff earlier this month.  District staff shared photos:

This product was likely sold as medical marijuana since the label does not meet Liquor Control Board standards for recreational marijuana products.  If sold as recreational marijuana and regulated by the Liquor Control Board it would contain 8 servings.  (1 serving = 10 mg of THC)  

"Marijuana Mess"

City Attorney Pete Holmes, Reverend Harriett Walden, and City Councilmember Nick Licata recently appeared on City Inside/Out and discussed the medical and recreational marijuana systems in Seattle.

Councilmember Licata said that if the state legislature does not "fix" the medical marijuana law, Seattle likely will have to shut down marijuana dispensaries.

He noted that legal and regulated alcohol is more abused than marijuana and suggested that perhaps alcohol stores should not be located near churches if people disapprove of marijuana stores near churches.

When it comes to the illegal use of marijuana in public, the councilmember encouraged people to complain by calling 911 and asking for a quick response.  He stated that minors should not go to jail for alcohol and marijuana violations which echoes long-time city and county policy that refers minors to a diversion program, not jail.   

City hosting medical marijuana symposium tonight

Tonight:

City of Seattle Medical Marijuana Symposium

Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall 

5:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. 

Medical marijuana businesses in Seattle and in jurisdictions across the state remain unregulated.  In March, a state court of appeals ruled that collective gardens (dispensaries) are not legal under Washington's current law.  

The Mayor's Office organized this symposium for those concerned about access to medical marijuana and the location of marijuana-related businesses in the city.  

“We are still looking to Olympia to enact broad medical marijuana reform next session, but we need to take action here in Seattle to address immediate concerns of patients, businesses and neighbors,” said Mayor Ed Murray. 

The symposium will feature panel discussions on a range of issues where medical marijuana businesses face a much more uncertain regulatory landscape than recreational marijuana operations governed by the state’s Liquor Control Board, including:

• Testing of marijuana products for purity and strength
• Best practices for manufacturing marijuana-infused products
• Packaging and labeling requirements
• The location of dispensaries and collective gardens

Poison Center reports spike in pediatric exposure to marijuana 

This event comes a week after the Washington Poison Center reported a spike in marijuana exposures among children and teenagers.  The report notes that with only a handful of recreational marijuana stores open in the state, the majority of exposures likely result from marijuana obtained at medical marijuana dispensaries. “The medical marijuana industry is largely unregulated and not subject to the scrutiny and oversight by the Liquor Control Board that recreational marijuana must go through”, says Dr. Garrard, Clinical Managing Director of the Washington Poison Center.

Overdoses among children

Marijuana overdoses in children have caused seizures, hallucinations, paranoia, breathing problems that sometimes require mechanical ventilation until breathing returns to normal, and extremely high heart rates.  Children may become lethargic, disoriented, intensely agitated, have difficulty walking and balancing, and be unable to respond to stimulation.  

Exposure among teenagers

Last year, five Seattle high school students overdosed on marijuana edibles while at school and required medical attention.  During this week's Prevention WINS coalition meeting, members representing schools and parents discussed the need for marijuana packaging and products that are readily identifiable as containing marijuana.  Right now, it is difficult to determine since some medical marijuana packaging and products mimic packaging and products that do not contain marijuana.

How youth get regulated marijuana

In his message to state employees Governor Inslee wrote, "While it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to use or purchase marijuana, the reality is that legalizing the drug for adults makes it more accessible to youth." How is this possible when marijuana stores don't let anyone in who isn't over 21?

Because, like alcohol, teenagers who use primarily get it from friends.  A recent New York Times article about Colorado's marijuana system provides the perfect example.  It tells the story of Zach, a college student who buys medical marijuana and then sells it to others.  "Some of Zach’s clients are under 21 and cannot buy recreational cannabis legally. But others are older students who simply don’t want to pay the hefty tax — three times that levied on medical marijuana. So despite the abundance of recreational cannabis products since the first retail shops opened in January, there is still a vibrant black market for medical marijuana . . ."

A vibrant black market exists in Washington, as well.  When the Liquor Control Board was gearing up for marijuana market rule-making in 2013, they released data about who makes up the current marijuana market.

A quarter of current marijuana users are under the age of 21 - a thriving black market for anyone over the age of 21 who wants to share or re-sell their legally purchased marijuana. 

In another New York Times article a researcher states, "If I were to design a substance that is bad for college students, it would be marijuana" because it impairs working memory.  How marijuana use impacts student learning is one reason why substance use prevention programs from early middle school through college are especially important.  To be most effective, prevention activities need to include those that impact the wider community such as limiting the number of marijuana retailers and enforcing laws so that people cannot buy the drug outside of state-licensed stores.  Marijuana enforcement needs do not go away when the drug is legalized, they just change focus.  

Seattle marijuana businesses and preventing teen marijuana use

Over the past few days the Seattle Times published two opinions about the emerging recreational marijuana system and what they see as barriers to the establishment of a commercial marketplace.

On October 24, an opinion piece laments, “The fact that Seattle, triple the size of any other city in Washington, has only a handful of stores is ‘odd’ . . . because there are 21 locations authorized for the city.”  Though there are multiple reasons for less than 5 of those 21 retailers opening shop at this point, the writer suggests that, “Tweaking I-502 to loosen the 1,000 foot rule seems an obvious fix for some of this.”  (The 1,000 foot rule disallows marijuana businesses from being within 1,000 feet of schools, community centers, parks, and other places where children congregate.)

Instead of allowing for more marijuana retailers, Seattle should support limits on the number of retailers since such limits on businesses selling alcohol and tobacco are proven methods for preventing teen alcohol and tobacco use.  If marijuana legalization is to be successful in keeping the drug out of the hands of minors, then limiting retail outlets is sound policy to implement and support.

Getting rid of recreational marijuana’s main competition – medical marijuana – is one way to encourage more recreational marijuana retailers to open shop.  As an October 25 editorial states, “In reality, Seattle marijuana users shun recreational stores because they’re getting the cannabis from a larger, cheaper and unregulated source: medical marijuana dispensaries.  As Seattle’s former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan warned last month, medical marijuana is ‘not a loophole: It is the market.’”

The editorial goes on to say that the state legislature is to blame.  However, the City of Seattle can do something before the legislature decides whether or not to act on medical marijuana.  They can start by enforcing their own law and closing down medical marijuana businesses that opened within the last year.  Medical marijuana retailers are not recognized or protected by state law so they can be shut down if the political will exists.

With almost 40% of Seattle high school students who use marijuana reporting that they used marijuana that came from a medical marijuana dispensary, closing them is another way of preventing teen access to the drug.

City informs medical marijuana businesses that they need to be licensed by state

Marijuana businesses that began operating after November 16, 2013 without a state marijuana business license are in violation of City of Seattle law and "can be subject to enforcement action" according to a recent letter to marijuana businesses from the Departments of Finance and Administrative Services and Planning and Development. 

In Seattle, 39% of high school students who use marijuana report using marijuana that came from a dispensary while 23% said they didn't know if they used medical marijuana.  While most high school marijuana users said that they got marijuana from a friend, these data suggest that a lot of friends get the marijuana they share or sell from medical marijuana businesses.

Source: 2012 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Seattle Public Schools

 

The Seattle PI reports that the letters were sent to 330 medical marijuana businesses.  With that many medical marijuana businesses in the city and so many high school marijuana users reporting that they use marijuana that came from a medical marijuana business, the link between outlet density and youth use seems to be, once again, supported.  Research done about alcohol and tobacco retail outlet densities repeatedly shows the link between youth use and the number of retailers in a community. 

Governor briefed on state marijuana prevention activities

Decreasing the percentage of 10th grade students who report smoking marijuana in the past 30 days from 19.3% to 18% by 2017 is one of Results Washington's goals for creating healthy communities.  In addition to preventing marijuana DUIs, state leaders briefed Governor Inslee on this goal during a meeting on September 24.



The discussion about youth marijuana use prevention starts at about 1:12 of the video.  The secretaries of the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Health provide an overview of current and planned prevention activities.  

At about 1:43 the governor asked a question about marijuana-infused foods to ensure they are not overly attractive to youth.  Rick Garza from the Liquor Control Board said that they are not allowing products that are:

• brightly colored;
• sugar coated;
• anything that is "typically what a child would see and find appealing;"
• mimicking candy bars.

He also said that the medical marijuana law needs to be changed to address marijuana-infused foods because they are currently not regulated under state law.
Medical marijuana is the "wild west" right now according to the governor.  Mr. Garza confirmed that there are no regulations on medical marijuana products that are attractive to youth. 

The governor also asked about the use of fear tactics in marijuana prevention campaigns.  Mona Johnson from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction replied that many years of prevention science research shows that scare tactics do not work and that prevention programs today don't use them.  The importance of educating parents about prevention was also discussed. 

Learn more about marijuana-infused candy bars and other edible products

Marijuana-infused foods that have been sold as medical marijuana are soon to hit the shelves of recreational marijuana stores in WA.  KCTS broadcast a series of stories about the medical and recreational marijuana systems in our state.  The one focusing on edibles includes a brief discussion about children and marijuana-infused foods like cherry soda, chocolate bars, and candies. A former Prevention WINS co-chair is interviewed.

Marijuana paraphernalia and foods confiscated in public schools last year

For the first time ever, last school year Seattle Public Schools filled the safe in which they keep drug-related items confiscated from students.  And they filled one new cabinet.

As of mid-May 2014, Seattle Public Schools data show that 758 drug/alcohol violations were reported.  Violations increased between mid-May and the end of the school year, especially around prom and graduation.  (Data for the entire 2013-14 school year is not yet available.)  Among the violations, 107 were alcohol offenses and 651 were drug offenses -- 98% of which involved marijuana, mostly alone but some in combination with other drugs.  Violations took place at all three levels: 3 were in elementary school, 204 were in middle school, and 551 were in high school.

Another first: last school year was the first time that vaporizing devices for nicotine and/or THC were confiscated.  Edible marijuana products that were bought, not baked at home, also were confiscated.  Marijuana-infused items included lollipops and candy bars likely produced for the medical marijuana market.  Some students who ate marijuana-infused foods overdosed on them while at school.  

Below are some of the "vape pens" and edibles confiscated.

Teen marijuana use prevention: It takes a community

“Legislature should find the will to fund teenage marijuana use prevention” reads a recent Seattle Times editorial headline. 

The editorial states: “Just Say No” messages won’t work in this era."

Adolescent substance abuse prevention has evolved a great deal over the past twenty years thanks to prevention research and has not been about “Just Say No” for quite a while.   What does research tell use about how to effectively prevent adolescent substance use, including marijuana use?

For parents:

Prevention needs to start early.  Parents should start talking to their children about not using drugs by the end of elementary school and at the latest by the end of middle school.  A locally-developed parent guide can provide parents with information on what to say.  Among the research-backed strategies: 

• A “no use” attitude is important.  Children whose parents have a positive attitude toward marijuana use are five times more likely to use marijuana by 8^th grade. 

•  Be clear about family rules against using drugs, including marijuana, and set clear guidelines.

• Make sure those guidelines are followed and follow through on reasonable consequences if rules are broken.  

• Monitor your own behavior – parents are role models for their children. 

For lawmakers:

As the editorial states: “With other budget pressures, Olympia will be tempted to tap into future marijuana tax revenues that I-502 specifically dedicated to prevention.”  In recent years, the legislature cut and then eliminated funding for the statewide Community Mobilization program, an evidence-based prevention program.  Most prevention funding now comes from the federal government and they, too, are always looking to cut expenditures. 

In addition to funding, lawmakers can be a part of a comprehensive prevention strategy.  Examples of policies that prevent teen drug use include: 

• Enforcing marijuana laws, both medical and recreational.  Seattle drug use prevention coalitions have heard from kids that they can get marijuana easily through retail dispensaries.  Among Seattle high school students who use marijuana, 39% report using marijuana that came from a dispensary, likely through friends who bought it legally (with a recommendation) or illegally (without a recommendation.) 

• Enacting and enforcing social host laws for both marijuana and alcohol to prevent parents from providing teenagers with the drugs. 

• Supporting limits on the number of retail outlets in jurisdictions and neighborhoods within those jurisdictions. 

For communities:

Adolescent substance use prevention is most effective when multiple sectors of the community implement a variety of strategies.  To guide the selection of prevention strategies, communities can look at their local Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) data which not only provides data on use rates but information about risk factors that are specific to their community. 

For instance, the Prevention WINS coalition recently started planning to address the risk factor of “decreasing perception of risk” associated with marijuana use.  Since 2006 the coalition has tracked risk and protective factors specific to NE Seattle and every two years HYS data indicated that perceptions of risk decreased.  Data-driven decisions worked in NE Seattle in the past and continue to guide future prevention activities. 

The video below, featuring Dr. J. David Hawkins from the University of Washington, provides more information about what communities can do when working together and guided by local data.  

The Communities That Care system is very similar to the Strategic Prevention Framework used by most WA communities that have a drug use prevention coalitions.  

Students say alcohol is easier to get than marijuana

Last week, the Seattle PI’s Pot Blog included an opinion entitled “Why legal marijuana will be good for Washington kids.”  It starts by stating that most kids say marijuana is easy to get.  Let’s turn to data from the 2012 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey for a closer look at this statement.

“Most” students do not report that marijuana is easy to get.

Among 8^th grade students attending Seattle Public Schools, 27% reported marijuana is easy to get.  Meanwhile, 31% reported that alcohol is easy to get.  Forty-seven percent of Seattle 10^th grade students reported that marijuana is easy to get and 52% reported that alcohol is easy to get. 

High school students get marijuana from friends.

Most Seattle high school students who use marijuana get it from friends according to the 2012 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.  Alcohol, which is more widely used by high school students, is primarily obtained from friends as well.

This is supported by national data which indicate that marijuana is the primary drug sold by students who sell drugs.  According to the survey, 44% of high school students know of a student who sells drugs and overwhelmingly the drug being sold is marijuana.  

Legal drugs are easier for youths to get than illegal drugs.  

The same survey reports that students in schools where drugs are easy to get say that within an hour they can get alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription drugs more easily than marijuana. 

Legal drugs are used more than illegal drugs.

Even when marijuana is sold by peers, alcohol is used more according to the national survey cited above. Of the students who can identify a classmate who sells drugs, 55% use legal, regulated, and taxed alcohol and 35% use marijuana. 

Public health regulations for marijuana

An article published in the April 17, 2014 edition of the American Journal of Public Health discusses why public health regulations are needed when establishing a legal commercial marijuana system. 

Based on research findings for preventing teen alcohol and tobacco use, the authors suggest implementing the following regulations for an emerging marijuana market:

• Keeping prices artificially high;
• Restricting and carefully monitoring licenses if a state monopoly is not established;
• Limiting the types of products sold;
• Limiting marketing;
• Restricting public consumption. 

Limiting outlet density: public health benefits

The Washington State Liquor Control Board marijuana rules limit the amount of marijuana retailers that may open in communities.  Twenty-one stores will be allowed in Seattle, which is in line with how many liquor stores were in Seattle prior to privatization.  Limiting outlet density is a proven way to reduce underage drinking and other public health harms associated with alcohol.  The article elaborates by stating, “ . . . studies from various disciplines converge in showing a strong positive relationship between alcohol outlet density and alcohol misuses as well as unintentional injuries and crime.  The evidence is so strong that several national and regional health organizations . . . have included recommendations related to licensing restrictions in prevention plans.”

Limiting outlet density: Saving tax dollars

The article goes on to say, “Keeping the number of licenses small also helps control the cost of regulating these new businesses and enforcing compliance (because there are fewer entities to oversee).  Fewer licenses make it easier for the government to keep close records on each licensee, making it easier to discover anomalies in their books that could indicate diversion to underground markets.”

Limiting products sold

Since it is difficult to expand regulations once a market is fully established, the authors suggest that products attractive to youth be strictly limited from the get-go.  “If governments wait to try to impose such product restrictions or leave the industry to regulate itself, the outcome could be problematic, as profit motive will likely dominate decisions rather than consumer safety.”  Both the alcohol and tobacco industries make products that are attractive to youth including sweet-flavored cigarettes, nicotine products, and alcohol.   Currently, marijuana rules in our state do not ban sweet-flavored or other products that may be attractive to youth. 

Restricting public consumption

The authors promote limiting public consumption of marijuana based on studies about youth tobacco use and restrictions on public tobacco use.  “ . . . Clean indoor air laws targeting public places that youths tend to congregate . . . are associated with reduced initiation and self-reported use of cigarettes among children and adolescents.  Even broad workplace clean indoor air laws . . . have been shown to influence the smoking behaviors of youths by influencing antismoking norms.”  While the use of marijuana “in view of the public” is against Washington State law, it remains to be seen how the law is interpreted by local jurisdictions and enforced.  In Seattle, public use of marijuana results in a verbal warning for the first violation and a $27 fine after that.  

Seattle students attend school under the influence at rates higher than county & state averages

The percent of Seattle high school students who report being drunk or high at school within the last 12 months is significantly higher than the rate in King County according to a report from Seattle & King County Public Health.

While Seattle high school students report bullying and obesity at rates lower than the King County average, they report using alcohol and marijuana at rates higher than average.  In 2012, about a quarter of  NE Seattle high school seniors reported attending school under the influence within the last year (Healthy Youth Survey).  High schools administrators report that this year they have noticed an increase in the number of students who come to school high.

Liquor privatization & marijuana legalization: The impact of policy change on Washington's youth

This morning, the WA House Early Learning & Human Services Committee held a work session about youth access to alcohol and marijuana since the adoption of Initiative 1183 (liquor privatization) and Initiative 502 (marijuana legalization.)



Data collected by the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) indicate that since the adoption of I-1183:

• Pro-alcohol attitudes among youth increased significantly;
• Perceived access to alcohol among youth increased;
• Emergency department visits for alcohol-related conditions significantly increased among minors;
• In King County during the first 16 months post-privatization, emergency departments reported an estimated additional 5,500 visits for alcohol-related conditions; 
• Our state has more than 1,000 new places to buy liquor;
• Theft of liquor, including theft by minors, increased.   

Though not enough time has passed since the adoption of I-502 to be able to analyze long-term effects, early data indicate that youth perceptions of risk associated with marijuana use significantly declined.  With retail stores scheduled to open this year, researchers expect increased availability of marijuana among minors.

2/27/14 Update: Below are links to media reports about the work session.

Liquor privatization in Washington bad for youths, new study says 

Teen addiction specialists report riskier behavior after marijuana and liquor initiatives

Study: Liquor privatization has shaped youth perception of alcohol

Understanding the current marijuana market

The RAND Drug Policy Research Center released a report this week about our state's current marijuana market.  Most of the media attention about the report focuses on the finding that pot consumption among Washingtonians is higher than previously thought.  Other findings include:

Adult & Youth Access: The primary way that adults and youth who use marijuana get marijuana is through friends.  Friends provide marijuana to adults for free and for purchase -- about 80% of adults who purchase marijuana get it from friends.  Sixty-eight percent of Seattle high school students who use marijuana report getting it from a friend and 38% report consuming marijuana that came from a dispensary.  The report notes, "It is not surprising that such a large number of marijuana users in Seattle's public high schools report consuming marijuana that came from a dispensary; there are a lot of dispensaries in the Seattle Metro Area."  

Age: About 12% of current marijuana consumers are 12 to 17 years old and about one-third are between 18 and 25 years old.  One-third of "heavy" users (those who use 21-30 days per month) are 25 years old and younger.

Use Rates: Washington past month marijuana use rates rose by about 40% between 2008 and 2011 while use rates increased by about 10% nationally during that time.  People who grow marijuana consume "considerably greater" amounts of the drug than others.  King County residents account for 30% of all marijuana consumers in the state.

Potency: Low-potency marijuana that was the norm prior to 2000 accounts for a small share of the current marijuana market in Washington.  It is likely that the marijuana used in our state is more potent than marijuana used in other states. Forty percent of past month marijuana users and 52% of heavy users report consuming/"dabbing" concentrates (hash oils) with very high THC levels.

Interaction with Tobacco & Alcohol: Heavy marijuana users smoke tobacco at higher rates than non-heavy users.  Alcohol use among marijuana users is more prevalent than among the general population.  Alcohol use seems to increase with the amount of marijuana consumed.

Underage drinking and underage marijuana use linked

Underage drinking and illicit drug use, especially marijuana use, are closely linked according to data from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  Twenty percent of underage drinkers reported using at least one illicit drug within two hours of last using alcohol, compared to 4.9% of those aged 21 or older. Marijuana was by far the most commonly used substance at 19.2% for drinkers under 21 and 4.4% for older drinkers.

The authors of the analysis suggest the need to follow any changes in Washington and Colorado where recreational marijuana is legalized.  Since there seem to differences in how teens use marijuana and how adults use marijuana, it will be important to study the impact of legalization on teens separately from the impact on adults.  

Seattle premier of "A Clean UA" June 19

Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) and Neighborhood House present:

The Seattle Premier of "A CLEAN UA"

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

5:00 p.m. followed by a reception

Rainier Valley Cultural Center

3515 S Alaska Street, Seattle

A Clean UA is a documentary short by the Southeast Asian Young Men's Group. The film follows Peter Phan, a 17-year-old Vietnamese American, as he decides to quit marijuana. Using a hand held camera, Peter journals the difficulties and challenges of his path to recovery while exploring the benefits of being sober.

Earlier this year when the video producers were raising money for the project, the trailer below was shared with the community.

Marijuana brownies sold to North Seattle teens

According to the Seattle Police Department, earlier this month they received complaints about middle school and high school students buying marijuana and marijuana-laced brownies from a residence in the Ballard neighborhood.  Detectives observed school-aged children from Ballard High School and Whitman Middle School going to the back door of the suspect residence and buying marijuana. 

On the morning of April 24th Seattle Police served a search warrant on the suspect residence.  Five adults were inside and were detained and interviewed by detectives.  The primary suspect, a 50-year-old male, was arrested at his place of employment.

Marijuana cigarettes, brownies, and multiple bags of marijuana were found in several rooms inside the residence.  Seven trays of marijuana brownies were found in the basement along with a marijuana grow operation.  

I-502, medical marijuana, and youth access 

Though the possession of small amounts of marijuana is now legal for adults in our state, it is not legal for people under the age of 21. 

While it is illegal for minors to possess marijuana for recreational use, minors may possess marijuana for medicinal use if they have an authorization.   

It is unknown if the people arrested for allegedly selling pot brownies to children have medical marijuana authorizations.  While it is illegal for any of them to sell marijuana to minors, it would not be illegal for them to grow 15 marijuana plants each and possess 24 ounces of marijuana each if they have medical authorizations.

Easy access to marijuana among adults means easy access to marijuana among youth.  While children were apparently buying marijuana from the adults arrested in this situation, most children who use marijuana do not get it by directly purchasing it.  Like alcohol, most youth who use marijuana obtain it socially.  It only takes a few kids buying marijuana from an adult or from a dispensary if they have a medical authorization to supply their friends with it.   

NE Seattle crime related to marijuana 

Recently, several home invasions have involved marijuana grow operations in homes.  Right here in NE Seattle earlier this month, a home in View Ridge was robbed and the victims were held at gun point while the suspects took marijuana plants, weapons, cash, and a victim’s car.

Initiative 502 set the stage for a legal marijuana marketplace but work to keep our children drug-free and our community’s safe remains and likely will require more vigilance.  

May 9 Update:  KIRO-TV reports that parents complained for a year about the man selling marijuana brownies to children.