Pubdate: Fri, 21 Mar 2014
Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Copyright: 2014 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author: Noelle Crombie

Medical Marijuana in Oregon

RULES BANNING POT-INFUSED SWEETS GENERATES BACKLASH

One of the architects of a new law requiring Oregon to craft rules 
that would keep marijuana from kids says the new regulations go too far.

Rob Bovett, legal counsel for the Association of Oregon Counties, 
which pushed for Senate Bill 1531, said in an email to Oregon Health 
Authority officials that his intent "was not to ban classes of edibles."

"It was to make sure they are in child-resistant packaging, and not 
packaged in a way that is attractive to youth," he wrote in an email 
sent to Tom Burns, who oversees the state's dispensary program. The 
email also went out to members of the committee that drafted the 
rules for dispensaries.

The health authority, which oversees the medical marijuana dispensary 
program, issued draft rules this week that effectively ban 
marijuana-infused sweets. The rules are expected to go into place 
next week. Word of the ban spread quickly through the dispensary 
industry and patients, some of whom prefer to eat marijuana-infused 
candies, cookies and other sweets instead of smoking the drug.

The rules are the result of Senate Bill 1531, which directs the state 
to craft rules for child-proofing marijuana products and ensure that 
marketing doesn't target kids. The law also allows local governments 
to pass moratoriums on medical marijuana dispensaries.

Amy Margolis, a lawyer who served on the committee that drafted rules 
for the dispensary industry, on Thursday fired off a response to the 
health authority, arguing that the law wasn't designed to outlaw 
marijuana-infused products.

"Out of all of the relevant committee summaries on SB 1531 there was 
never a mention of banning sweets, candies, or other marijuana 
edibles," wrote Margolis, who advises dispensaries and practices criminal law.

"There is no record of the idea being proposed, let alone voted on," 
wrote Margolis. "These reports are readily available online. The 
proposed draft rules by the OHA contradict the language of the 
statute and the intent of its legislators."

The draft rules generated sharp criticism from patients who eat 
marijuana-infused products.

"It just stinks," said Gary Stevenson, of Portland, told the Associated Press.

 From AP:

Stevenson, who has cancer, said he prefers to take the marijuana in 
food because it's more potent and longer-lasting. As a member of the 
group Oreginfused Kitchen, he also makes and distributes the types of 
pot-infused foods that would be banned at dispensaries. He said he 
doesn't want to go underground.

"I'm striving for legitimacy," Stevenson said.

Health authority officials said this week that they are accepting 
public comments on the draft rules. The public can email  ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom