Pubdate: Thu, 12 Nov 2015
Source: Portland Mercury (OR)
Column: Cannabuzz
Copyright: 2015 The Portland Mercury
Contact:  http://www.portlandmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1174
Author: Josh Jardine

THE OLCC'S REGULATIONS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. MUCH WORSE.

THOSE SEEKING to participate in Oregon's recreational (AKA adult-use) 
cannabis industry are feverishly preparing license applications for 
January 4, 2016. Meanwhile, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission 
(OLCC) on October 22 released rules for those who wish to grow, 
process, and sell adult-use cannabis in 2016: 78 pages of 
government-crafted regulations, covering a wide range of details, 
and-surprise-very few people are happy. (Note: Barring a late start 
by Phish, I've never seen so many weed smokers so grumpy. Can't any 
of the world-class growers in this state create an "OLCC Kush" to 
deal with the effects of working with this agency?)

Some are unhappy with the "delivery service" rule, which will limit 
the amount a home-delivery service can provide to $100's worth of 
flower. And that doesn't just mean they can't sell more than $100 at 
a time to any buyer-it means they can't have more than $100 of 
cannabis on them at any time. It puts us on a collision course with 
our CO2 reduction goals if drivers have to keep zipping back and 
forth to re-up.

Others aren't wild about the fees imposed (up to $5,750 for growers), 
or the myriad other rules that are going to make entering this new 
industry cost prohibitive for many-not to mention a paperwork 
nightmare. These complaints have merit, and I too would be upset and 
stressed if I were about to wade into these waters. (If you have 
insomnia, treat it by reading all the rules on oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana.)

That said, it's not that bad, at least when you compare it to how 
other states are proposing adult-use programs. I don't mean Colorado 
and Washington, although they have issues. No, I'm speaking of the 
Seth Rogen-like "round at both ends and high in the middle" Ohio.

The Buckeye State voted down a pretty terrible measure on Tuesday, 
November 3. The campaign backers, ResponsibleOhio, were funded by a 
group of 10 investment groups. Under their proposal, the only people 
allowed to produce cannabis would be the staff of these 10 
multimillionaires. And unless you are talking about tiny racecars and 
hotels on Baltic Avenue, monopoly is not good for anyone. Check out 
Vince's column this week, which further breaks down what a mess this 
measure would have been.

Meanwhile, an all-points bulletin has gone out for the missing gonads 
of the Marijuana Policy Project, Drug Policy Alliance, and NORML. 
Those first two were "neutral" on the measure while the latter 
endorsed it. Next time these groups hit you up for donations or 
membership dues, ask them where they were when it was time to have 
their voices heard.

In the Oregon cannabis industry, our fees are too high, as are our 
taxes. Some of our rules are head scratchers. Not everyone is going 
to pass the hurdles in place to join the industry. But we're better 
off than Ohio-in more ways than one.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom