HB 2433: How It Will Impact Washington’s Cannabis Industry

HB 2433 threatens access to affordable cannabis medicine in Washington. Read why patients and businesses oppose this harmful tax increase.

Why We Oppose HB 2433

Cannabis Is Medicine, Not a Tax Loophole.

Washington’s cannabis industry is at a turning point.

As we reflect on the first 10 years of legalization— and prepare for the next decade— bills like HB 2433 threaten to undermine the progress that patients, workers, and responsible businesses have fought hard to build.

HB 2433 proposes an additional tax burden on cannabis products. While this may sound minor on paper, the real-world impact is anything but. Fairwinds is here to spread awareness.

To read additional details about the house bill itself, check WACA’s website: https://www.wacannabusiness.org/

Cannabis Is Medicine, and Access Matters

For thousands of Washingtonians, cannabis is not optional or recreational. It is used for medicinal purposes.

Patients rely on cannabis to manage chronic pain, PTSD, anxiety, sleep disorders, neurological conditions, and the side effects of cancer treatments. Many of these patients turned to cannabis because traditional pharmaceuticals were ineffective, unaffordable, or came with severe side effects.

Raising taxes on cannabis raises prices at the point of sale—directly impacting patients who already struggle to afford their medicine. For low-income individuals, seniors, veterans, and people with chronic illness, higher prices mean fewer options, less relief, or turning to unregulated alternatives.

That is not a public health win.

A Regulated System That Works

The regulated cannabis and hemp industries are still misunderstood by some, but the reality is this:

Washington’s legal cannabis system works because of strong regulation, compliance, and accountability.

Advocacy organizations like WACA and compliant operators across the state have spent years earning public trust by:

• Following the law
• Supporting robust testing and consumer protections
• Collaborating with regulators
• Investing in their communities

Today, this regulated marketplace:

• Directly employs over 11,330 workers
• Supports 18,360 jobs statewide
• Generated $660.8 million in state and local tax revenue in 2020 alone, funding public services that benefit all Washingtonians

This success didn’t happen by accident. It happened because legalization was paired with thoughtful regulation—not by overburdening a still-maturing industry with additional taxes.

HB 2433 poses a risk to all customers, companies, employees, and tax revenue.

HB 2433’s Higher Taxes Push Consumers Back to the Illicit Market

One of the biggest risks of HB 2433 is that it could push consumers away from the regulated market altogether.

When legal products become too expensive, consumers don’t stop using cannabis—they look elsewhere. That means:

• Less revenue for the state
• More activity in the unregulated market
• Fewer consumer protections
• More pressure on compliant businesses that are doing everything right

If the goal is safety, transparency, and accountability, increasing taxes on legal cannabis is a step in the wrong direction.

What You Can Do to Stop HB 2433

Lawmakers need to hear from the people who will actually be affected by this bill—patients, workers, small business owners, and community members.

Below is a template letter you can copy, personalize, and send to your local representatives to voice your opposition to HB 2433. To find your politician’s content info, go to the Washington State legislative website: https://leg.wa.gov/legislators/

Template Letter: Oppose HB 2433

Subject: Opposition to HB 2433 – Protect Patients and Washington’s Regulated Cannabis System

Dear [Representative/Senator Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a [Washington resident / cannabis patient / small business owner / cannabis industry worker] in [City or District]. I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 2433.

Washington’s regulated cannabis and hemp industries have spent the last decade working to earn public trust, follow the law, and build a system that prioritizes consumer safety and community responsibility. While the industry is still misunderstood by some, operators, workers, and advocates have consistently shown their commitment to compliance, transparency, and collaboration with state regulators.

Cannabis is medicine for many Washingtonians. It plays a critical role in managing chronic pain, sleep disorders, PTSD, anxiety, cancer treatment side effects, and other serious health conditions. For patients who rely on cannabis, affordability is essential. Additional taxation under HB 2433 would directly increase costs for those who depend on this plant for their health and wellbeing—many of whom already face financial hardship.

Beyond patient impact, this bill threatens the stability of a regulated marketplace that is already delivering meaningful benefits to our state. Today, Washington’s legal cannabis industry directly employs more than 11,000 workers, supports over 18,000 jobs statewide, and in 2020 alone generated more than $660 million in state and local tax revenue that funds essential public services. This success is the result of thoughtful regulation—not overburdening a still-maturing industry.

As we reflect on the first 10 years of legalization and look ahead to the next decade, now is not the time to undermine a system that is working. Increasing taxes on legal cannabis risks pushing consumers toward the unregulated market, harming compliant businesses, and placing unnecessary strain on patients who depend on safe, tested, and regulated products.

I respectfully urge you to vote NO on HB 2433 and to support policies that preserve access to cannabis as medicine, protect consumers, and strengthen—not weaken—Washington’s regulated cannabis marketplace.

Thank you for your time and for your service to our community.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Business Name, if applicable]
[City, WA]

Final Thoughts

Cannabis legalization in Washington was about more than revenue—it was about safety, access, and fairness.

HB 2433 puts those values at risk.

If cannabis is going to continue serving patients and communities the way voters intended, we must protect access, affordability, and the regulated system that makes it possible.