Pubdate: Fri, 20 Feb 2015
Source: Bulletin, The (Bend, OR)
Copyright: 2015 Western Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.bendbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/62
Author: Scott Hammers

CENTRAL OREGON WEIGHS IN ON SOON-TO-BE-LEGAL MARIJUANA

300 People Turn Out in Bend As State Seeks Public's Help in Setting 
Up Regulations

Central Oregon is ready for the state's recreational marijuana law to 
take effect, if the more than 300 people who turned out for an Oregon 
Liquor Control Commission "listening session" Thursday night at The 
Riverhouse are any guide.

The OLCC has been given the job of regulating the state's transition 
to a legal system for growing, selling and consuming marijuana, as 
approved by Oregon voters in November.

On July 1, it will become legal for Oregonians 21 and older to grow 
up to four marijuana plants at home and consume the drug on private 
property. In 2016, the state will begin licensing growers, 
processors, wholesalers and retailers. And, to prepare, 
representatives of the OLCC have been traveling the state to find out 
what kind of regulatory framework should be in place when that begins.

Rob Patridge, a former state legislator who now serves as chairman of 
the OLCC, hosted Thursday's meeting. Patridge said his agency has 
heard from an estimated 1,800 Oregonians in five prior listening 
sessions over the past three weeks, with three more sessions to be 
held in Beaverton, Clackamas and Newport between now and early March.

Partridge said the goal of the OLCC is to fill in the details not 
addressed in the voter-approved initiative. The agency needs to 
determine how marijuana businesses will be licensed, and if their 
locations should be restricted. Some restrictions on how 
marijuana-laced cookies, candies, drinks and other edibles could be 
considered, he said, and commercial growers might be subject to 
regulation on the size of their operations or mandatory security measures.

State officials don't have a lot to draw on when trying to figure out 
what works and what doesn't work, Partridge said, other than the 
still-new legal marijuana markets in Colorado and Washington.

"We're putting up a whole new industry. It hasn't been done in very 
many places in the country, or very many places in the world," he said.

Using green, yellow and red cards to show their policy preferences, 
attendees at Thursday's forum expressed support for a largely 
hands-off approach, with the exception of testing and labeling standards.

Thursday's audience showed nearly unanimous support for a testing 
system that would indicate the potency of marijuana or marijuana 
products, the recommended dose and a guarantee users are not exposed 
to harmful levels of mold and pesticides.

Licensing the employees of marijuana establishments, as the OLCC does 
for alcohol servers, received mixed support. Attendees were divided 
on whether marijuana edibles that might be appealing to children 
should be prohibited, but they strongly opposed a ban on gummy 
bear-style edibles.

The gummy bear question provoked some debate by attendees, with a 
supporter of a ban claiming the candies are an invitation to 
accidental ingestion by children, and opponents saying users need to 
be responsible for keeping such products out of the wrong hands.

Attendees were strongly opposed to limits on how large a commercial 
growing operation should be allowed but supportive of the idea that 
commercial growing licenses should be reserved for Oregon residents. 
One commenter suggested Oregon residency might not be enough and that 
the OLCC should find a way to prevent an Oregon resident from serving 
as the license holder for a large company that provides the capital 
and could transfer most profits out of Oregon.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom