Institute offers seminar on how to start pot business

TUKWILA, Wash — An institute is teaching a weekend course on how to start a marijuana business in the state.

Washington Cannabis Institute is offering a seminar with attorneys and industry pros who have prepared a course for starting a pot business.

The class will help those who want to start a business understand and comply with Initiative 502 regulations and licensing requirements. I-502 was passed by Washington voters in November to legalize recreational marijuana.

On Thursday, the state’s Liquor Control Board issued an initial draft of recreational marijuana.

The licensing director from the Washington Liquor Control Board is scheduled to be a guest speaking at the seminar.

People came from Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, New York and New Jersey to attend Saturday's session.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Deborah Horne spoke with a man who wants to open a store.

"I'm looking at the opportunity of opening up a retail store," said Peter O'Neal.

Josh Kirby, 23, traveled from upstate New York to attend the seminar.

"As a black market industry, it's almost $50 billion a year that we spend on it. And so as hat transition out of the black market and into regular retail, it's going to be a huge opportunity," said Kirby.

The pot seminar costs $300 per person for the course.

KIRO