West Virginia Health Care Authority

The meeting included a presentation by Dr. Libby Stout on potential THC limits for cannabis products, followed by a Q&A session and public comment. The discussion covered the history of cannabis potency, the endocannabinoid system, and the impact of high-potency THC products on addiction, psychosis, and adolescent brain development. The work group discussed voting on a recommendation to the larger board regarding THC limits.

The meeting addressed public participation concerns during virtual meetings due to COVID-19 restrictions, emphasizing the importance of real-time public input. There was discussion regarding the technical difficulties in live streaming the meeting and exploring alternative methods like Zoom or Facebook Live to enhance public access. The board also discussed legislative updates, including bills related to recreational cannabis and modifications to the medical cannabis act. Progress on the medical cannabis program was reviewed, including the issuance of dispensary permits and patient registration. The policy and program work group discussed a proposal regarding home grow, and the health and medical work group discussed recommendations.

The committee discussed a proposal regarding homegrown cannabis, focusing on patient access and affordability. Concerns were raised about potential issues such as the expansion of the illicit market, the lack of laboratory testing, and the difficulty in controlling the use of pesticides and herbicides. The committee also explored the experiences of other states, including Colorado and Maryland, with different regulatory approaches to homegrown cannabis.

The meeting focused on the program's progress, the role, structure, and function of the advisory board moving forward. Key discussion points included the importance of public input and expert advice, a review of the program's status, and the duties of the board. The board also touched on the duties set forth by the code, analyzing laws, gathering public input, and developing a report to the legislature and the governor. The discussion also covered the types of medical professionals who could issue certifications, qualifying medical conditions, permitted forms of medical cannabis, and the number of growers, propagators, or dispensaries.

The meeting included discussion of the medical cannabis patient certification form. There were concerns about whether the form was getting too close to prescribing and whether a disclaimer should be added. The office of medical cannabis has started to issue permits and these facilities are being built out. A demonstration from vendor metric of our seed to sell system was presented.