The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) issued the following statement regarding the Department of Justice’s announcement today.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board would like to thank the Obama Administration, particularly Attorney General Eric Holder and the Dept. of Justice for its guidance today.

We would also like to thank Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson for their leadership and efforts on this issue these past nine months. As Gov. Inslee stated today, the Department of Justice today helped lay a path forward for Washington and Colorado to implement its systems of producing, processing and retailing recreational marijuana.

The Board’s primary rule-making focus has been to create a tightly regulated market with emphasis on public safety and restricting youth access. In his letter, AG Holder shared the same concerns. We believe the action taken today by the federal government is the result of the conversations by our state elected leaders with the Dept. of Justice as well as the open and transparent system in which the rules have been crafted. The Board is confident that Washington’s recreational marijuana system will meet most, if not all, of the federal government’s stated concerns.

With the federal government’s approval the Board will continue to move forward and implement I-502 and the carry out the will of Washington State voters.