Oregon’s US attorney ‘frustrated’ with state’s cannabis overproduction

The top federal prosecutor in Oregon is taking aim at the state’s overproduction of marijuana.

Billy Williams, the U.S. attorney for Oregon, issued guidelines for cannabis enforcement in response to the Justice Department’s decision to rescind a key marijuana protection earlier this year, according to The Oregonian.

The newspaper noted that federal prosecutors will crack down on the black market, including organized crime and illegal cultivators. They also will target any organizations that “pose a substantial risk of violence.”

Here’s what you need to know:

• Williams’ guidelines confirm that “he remains frustrated” with the state’s inability to contain cannabis production, the newspaper reported.
• He called out Oregon officials for not allocating necessary resources to enforce regulations for the state’s marijuana program.
• Williams asked Oregon regulators to analyze and compile data on the amount of cannabis production and distribution in the state.
• He called for a “final report” that details the state’s supply-and-demand situation for cannabis.
• The Oregon Liquor and Control Commission was the subject of a recent state audit that found the agency lacks adequate monitoring and enforcement controls.
• Diversion has been a major issue in Oregon, as large amounts of marijuana grown there have been captured in 30 states.