Oregon Agency Weighs in on MMJ, Rec Rules

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Oregon could keep medical marijuana completely separate from recreational cannabis when retail sales begin next year.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), which is tasked with writing recommendations for policymakers, told the state Legislature that it believes medical and recreational cannabis should not be sold under one roof unless both are tracked the same way – from seed to sale.

The OLCC “does not want to be responsible for the co-location of medical and recreational operations unless the medical side is run in a manner consistent with federal guidelines,” Rob Patridge, chair of the agency, said in a press release.

The agency announced it intends to implement a seed-to-sale tracking system that will keep tabs on all recreational marijuana plants “from licensed growers to processors, wholesalers and, eventually, retail outlets.”

At issue is a gap in the current MMJ system in Oregon. Currently, the state only regulates MMJ dispensaries, while cultivators and processors operate largely on their own. In other words, there is no such tracking system in place for MMJ businesses in the state.

It’s not clear yet what steps MMJ businesses would need to take if they want to begin selling rec as well; that’s one of the myriad questions the Legislature and the OLCC have yet to tackle.