Data breach affects Washington pot applicants: The personal information of an unknown number of marijuana license applicants was accidentally released in May after the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board responded to a public records request.
The data sent to activist John Novak, founder of 420Leaks.com, might have included Social Security numbers, financial information, driver's license numbers, tax information and attorney-client privileged information, according to TheCannabist.co.
The board had redacted the documents for Novak's record request, but accidentally included the unredacted version, which he posted to his website. Realizing the mistake, the board asked him to take the files down, which Novak did.
The board is working to notify applicants whose information was released.
• Seattle Central College launches medical marijuana consultant program: Seattle Central College's Continuing Education program is offering Washington's first certification for medical marijuana consultants.
The certification is required as the recreational market absorbs the medical market. In accordance with Washington's new medical marijuana law, recreational stores applying for a medical marijuana endorsement must have a trained consultant on staff, and at least 25 percent of a store's inventory must be medically compliant products.
The 20-hour program is completed online and features 10 hours of live, interactive instruction from Jake Felice, a naturopath with experience with cannabis, and cannabis lawyer and patient privacy advocate Nicole Li, among others.
The program was designed by Trey Reckling, who runs the Academy of Cannabis Science. He teamed up with Seattle Central to meet state requirements that the certification courses be offered through an accredited institution.
"[Seattle Central College has] got a national reputation for being progressive, and they're proving themselves," Reckling told The Stranger last month.
The program application costs $95; the program itself costs $499.
• Eight charged with illegally selling weed through delivery services
Authorities in Seattle have charged eight people with illegally selling weed through delivery services, a misdemeanor.
The defendants were arrested in April and charged in May. If convicted, they could face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.
The legislature did not adopt a delivery bill this year, though Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes and Mayor Ed Murray support regulated marijuana deliveries. ♦
