State taps Massachusetts firm for pot consultant contract
SEATTLE (AP) - Washington state has tentatively chosen a Massachusetts-based firm led by a University of California, Los Angeles, professor to be its official marijuana consultant.
Botec Analysis Corp. is based in Cambridge, Mass., and has evaluated government programs and provided consulting relating to drug abuse, crime and public health. Losing bidders for the contract can protest the award, but if it stands, Botec will advise Washington state officials as they develop rules for the state's new industry in legal, taxed marijuana.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board scheduled an announcement on the award of the contract for Tuesday morning, but it sent an email to losing bidders Monday letting them know who won. A copy of the email was provided to The Associated Press.
Botec is headed by Mark Kleiman, a professor of public policy at UCLA. Kleiman declined to comment Monday afternoon, saying he did not want to pre-empt the board's public announcement.
Washington and Colorado last year became the first states to pass laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and setting up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores where adults over 21 can walk in and buy up to an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis. Sales are expected to begin at the end of the year at the earliest.
The votes left state officials with a daunting task: figuring out how to build a huge pot industry from scratch. The state's Liquor Control Board must determine how many growers and stores there should be, how much pot should be produced, how it should be packaged, and how it should be tested to ensure people don't get sick.
The board is doing a lot of its own research, with buttoned-up bureaucrats traveling to grow operations in California and Colorado as well as within Washington state, but the input from the consultant will also be key. The state is aiming to produce just enough marijuana to meet current demand: Producing too little would drive up prices and help the black market flourish, while producing too much could lead to excess pot being trafficked out of state.
All the while, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and the Justice Department still has not announced whether it will sue in an effort to block the licensing schemes from taking effect.
The board has advertised for consulting services in four categories. The first is "product and industry knowledge" and requires "at least three years of consulting experience relating to the knowledge of the cannabis industry, including but not limited to product growth, harvesting, packaging, product infusion and product safety."
Other categories cover quality testing, including how to test for levels of THC, the compound that gets marijuana users high; statistical analysis of how much marijuana the state's licensed growers should produce; and the development of regulations, a category that requires a "strong understanding of state, local or federal government processes," with a law degree preferred.
Botec, founded in the mid-1980s, has previously performed a variety of work with government agencies. It studied the results of an effort to crack down on heroin dealers in Lynn, Mass., and in the early 1990s advised the Office of National Drug Control Policy on drug-demand reduction programs.
Kleiman has written several books on drug policy and crime, including "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know."
Khurshid Khoja, a corporate lawyer from San Francisco, was involved in a bid that included Ed Rosenthal, a co-founder of High Times magazine and a recognized expert on marijuana cultivation. Khoja said he was disappointed not to get the contract, and mulling a protest not necessarily to challenge Botec's win, but to learn where his team's bid fell short.
Regardless, Khoja said, he hopes Washington and Colorado's laws are allowed to stand.
"Hopefully the feds will cooperate so Washington won't be sending money down the drain," he said.
Botec Analysis Corp. is based in Cambridge, Mass., and has evaluated government programs and provided consulting relating to drug abuse, crime and public health. Losing bidders for the contract can protest the award, but if it stands, Botec will advise Washington state officials as they develop rules for the state's new industry in legal, taxed marijuana.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board scheduled an announcement on the award of the contract for Tuesday morning, but it sent an email to losing bidders Monday letting them know who won. A copy of the email was provided to The Associated Press.
Botec is headed by Mark Kleiman, a professor of public policy at UCLA. Kleiman declined to comment Monday afternoon, saying he did not want to pre-empt the board's public announcement.
Washington and Colorado last year became the first states to pass laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and setting up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores where adults over 21 can walk in and buy up to an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis. Sales are expected to begin at the end of the year at the earliest.
The votes left state officials with a daunting task: figuring out how to build a huge pot industry from scratch. The state's Liquor Control Board must determine how many growers and stores there should be, how much pot should be produced, how it should be packaged, and how it should be tested to ensure people don't get sick.
The board is doing a lot of its own research, with buttoned-up bureaucrats traveling to grow operations in California and Colorado as well as within Washington state, but the input from the consultant will also be key. The state is aiming to produce just enough marijuana to meet current demand: Producing too little would drive up prices and help the black market flourish, while producing too much could lead to excess pot being trafficked out of state.
All the while, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and the Justice Department still has not announced whether it will sue in an effort to block the licensing schemes from taking effect.
The board has advertised for consulting services in four categories. The first is "product and industry knowledge" and requires "at least three years of consulting experience relating to the knowledge of the cannabis industry, including but not limited to product growth, harvesting, packaging, product infusion and product safety."
Other categories cover quality testing, including how to test for levels of THC, the compound that gets marijuana users high; statistical analysis of how much marijuana the state's licensed growers should produce; and the development of regulations, a category that requires a "strong understanding of state, local or federal government processes," with a law degree preferred.
Botec, founded in the mid-1980s, has previously performed a variety of work with government agencies. It studied the results of an effort to crack down on heroin dealers in Lynn, Mass., and in the early 1990s advised the Office of National Drug Control Policy on drug-demand reduction programs.
Kleiman has written several books on drug policy and crime, including "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know."
Khurshid Khoja, a corporate lawyer from San Francisco, was involved in a bid that included Ed Rosenthal, a co-founder of High Times magazine and a recognized expert on marijuana cultivation. Khoja said he was disappointed not to get the contract, and mulling a protest not necessarily to challenge Botec's win, but to learn where his team's bid fell short.
Regardless, Khoja said, he hopes Washington and Colorado's laws are allowed to stand.
"Hopefully the feds will cooperate so Washington won't be sending money down the drain," he said.
They don't trust locals to do the job right or what? So, our tax money is going to go to another state. F'ing morons.
Instead of going to Boston, they should at least have gone to the other state that legalized pot: Colorado.
John Denver had it right. "Rocky mountain high in Colorado!"
This is stupid. How many people around here have grown pot for years? They act like it is something entirely new. Just hire the big time pot growers that they busted in the past. they know what to do. What a waste of our money. Olympia needs to fall into the Peugeot Sound. They all are idiots.
Why is it that any time someone wants a "consultant" or any other work done around here, it goes to someone out of state? What happened to the "buy local"Â campaign? Do as I say, not as I do? Just another example of how the state doesn't want to employ it's own people.Â
Boston????????  We legalized 'marijuana', not overrated sports teams and Matt Damon
We can't buy a ferry boat out of state to save tens of millions and we can't find a pot consultant when a we've got no shortage of experts right here. Olympia is screwing us daily.
So not only is the state going to loose thousands by over taxing a recreational drug, due to home grown vs paying heavy tax, but they are also going to spend more of the Washington state taxpayer money on a firm from OUT of state???? Â Â Lets try supporting our local businesses! Â I question their judgement, again! Â Â
Some firm from MA has no business telling us how to do things. This should have went to a WA firm.
Wasn't there an article last week that the state had PILES of resumes? There was no-one in this whole state that applied that was qualified? Really? Out of the whole pile...
...and this is how government workers are suppose to use the bong ...at work... if you put too much water in the bong, you'll have to suck too hard and will end up with a ring around the mouth... ha, ha, ha,... like working too hard can create "ring around the collar".... Â That's why weeed need outside consultants to teach the government workers how to prevent "Ring Around the Bong Lips"...
Just like the state government to hire someone from out of town so they can control the outcome. The government doesn't want local people who are in the know running things. So much for government for the people by the people.
I'm curious if a Republican President when elected will choose to enforce this law on a Federal Law, after the State spends tens of millions!!
....Now that Federal Laws don't matter anymore in Washington Sate, how about making painkillers available over the counter, at least for Geezers...
@Biggg Donnn Been saying that for decades. Especially now where they've come down so hard on a doctors ability to write these prescriptions. Its gotten hard enough that poor old geezers like me end up having to go to the black market to get any pain meds. Only need them a couple of times a year but it would be so nice to be able to walk into a pharmacy and get them. Its actually easier to just grow the poppies yourself and harvest the resin. Another senseless ban of a helpful plant.
Ed Rosenthal would have been a better choice. he's actually been in this business for decades and knows pretty much all their is to know about the industry. Botec Analysis Corp is just a paper shuffling company. No real world experience in any of this, certainly no experience in the cannabis industry.
@Blindman A child that read HighTimes magazine would know more than Botec Analysis Corp.!
Of course they did. I mean look how well things turned out for California. Probably why they are in Mass.
They should be required to relocate to Washington instead of CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY! Seriously, they couldn't find anyone qualified in this state? I find that really hard to believe.
It never fails. We have thousands of highly paid state government employees but as usual NONE of them are qualified to do anything.  If we need this contractor why not fire the state employees so we are not paying four times for everything.
Believe me, I know state employees that are well, experts on pot.
@Goodwin Okay, let's parse this out: Define "highly."  Next, every single governmental employee is unqualified?  EVERY?  Postal workers?  Janitorial staff?  How do you know this?  Are these claims based in fact or assumption?  Do you know the distinction? Is the state "we"?  If so, as you have written, does not the state have constitutionally protected rights like you and corporations?  Every single proposition you made is faulty.  You constantly reference "we are paying".  How much do you pay?  A quick glance at your posting history, I don't see how you have time to work.... For someone that spends countless hours of her day writing, you should, at least, understand the basic mechanics of logic.Â
@Goodwin You seem not so smart.
Really? Couldn't find someone in our own state to help with state matters? Why am I not surprised they'd go 3,000 miles away for this.
@Hachee_Bungwhy I think it's time to give the one finger salute to the states involvement in just about everything.........
Already funneling money to worthless studies and programs............. Legalization is a sham!!! No wonder so many will remain loyal to the Black Market! Marijuana consultant my arse........ Marc Emery should've been given the opportunity....
@Funky-Munky He'd of been a good choice but now he's a convicted felon for doing what is completely legal in his country. Not being a felon was one of the requirements. No felons will be able to do anything in the way of recreational cannabis production, warehousing or sales.
Oh, sure! Gotta go out of state for that.
Was the contract awarded to the highest bidder?
@Getov Mylon No someone in state government must be buddies with UCLA Professor.
@32jim2Â @Getov Mylon Grin & grip buddies.... laughing demonically after fleecing the taxpayers!
@Getov Mylon Ha.Â