Maine scuttles plan to update medical cannabis rules

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Maine regulators scrapped a proposed change to rules for its medical cannabis program after caregivers and consumers protested.

According to the Portland Press Herald, the state Office of Marijuana Policy said it will try again after caregivers told the agency during a public hearing last month that the proposed rules were too similar to what the industry fought in 2021.

The rules included security requirements that caregivers last year deemed too labor-intensive and cost-prohibitive.

For example, “limited inventory tracking” would have been required for small-scale caregivers who grow 12 plants or fewer, don’t operate a retail store and don’t transfer wholesale products to other providers.

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Caregivers are a major source of competition for Maine’s medical marijuana retailers.

The regulatory agency sent a letter to stakeholders this week saying it plans to use the rest of the year to discuss potential industry rule changes that will “lead to a stronger medical marijuana program.”