Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2016
Source: Oregon Daily Emerald (U of Oregon, OR Edu)
Copyright: 2016 Oregon Daily Emerald
Contact:  http://www.dailyemerald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1518
Author: Troy Shinn

MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES SOON CAN SELL EDIBLES AND EXTRACTS TO
RECREATIONAL CUSTOMERS

Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law a provision of SB
1511, which will allow dispensaries to sell marijuana edibles and
extracts to recreational customers.

Under the current SB 1511, dispensaries are only able to sell edible
and extract products to medicinal patients. Edibles and extracts were
included in the original draft of the bill, but lawmakers decided
there were too many safety concerns that needed to be assessed before
they could include them in recreational sales.

Myron Brandwine manages Casper's Cannabis Club, the recently opened
marijuana dispensary near the University of Oregon. He said they are
looking forward to selling these products to recreational customers.

"We already sell these products to medical patients," Brandwine said.
"But there is a lot of confusing the rhetoric that lawmakers are using
about recreational sales. Everyone we talk to seems to have a
different answer, so we are waiting until we get a clear go-ahead
before selling to recreational customers."

Brandwine was able to speak to what safety risks held lawmakers back
from green-lighting edibles and extracts initially.

"It takes a lot of technical know-how to make THC extracts," Brandwine
said. "There is a risk of not properly filtering out all of the
harmful chemicals as well as causing fire hazards. Not just anybody
can make this stuff, so I'm sure part of their concern is the
manufacturing."

Edibles, while not as hazardous to make, still pose a unique
challenge. According to Brandwine, edibles can be a lot stronger and
less uniform in potency.

"Lots of recreational patients won't want the same dosages that
medical users take because they don't need it," Brandwine said. "This
also brings the concern that not all edibles will have the same THC
concentration or potency in all cases."

The Oregon Health Authority still needs to draft clear rules for the
manufacturing and distribution of edibles and extracts before
dispensaries can begin selling them for recreational purposes.

At the end of the year, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission will
assume authority over implementing these rules and overseeing the sale
of recreational marijuana.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D