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Oregon Passes Recreational Cannabis Use Law, OLCC Reaches Out To Washington For Input and Lessons

Jim Boldt | Cannabis Wire   November 5, 2014  

It Passed:

Voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. have voted to approve sweeping pro-cannabis legalization. Oregonians defied recent surveys and said yes to recreational cannabis use Tuesday. Passing a law similar to Washington’s I-502, Oregon becomes one of four jurisdictions to “legalize” the use or possesion of cannabis for recreational use. Washignton, D.C. only went so far as to clarify possession as a legal action. Acceess and production issues were left unsettled for the nation’s capital.

They Can Grow Their Own:

Probably addressing an issue that will haunt Washington State’s complicated recreational use law and regulation, Oregon allows up to four plants to be under cultivation per residence. Their possession limits are also set per residence at 8oz at any given time. Under Measure 91 a residence is a housing unit, and includes any place in or around the housing unit at which the occupants of the housing unit are producing, processing, keeping, or storing homegrown marijuana or homemade marijuana products.  Full text here.

 

Other States Chip Away At Washington’s Limited Law:

There is little question Washington State lawmakers will get out of the 2015 session without wrestling with unfinished cannabis business from the 2014 session, including the home grow issue and the bigger, more contentious issue of melding the state’s decade old MMJ law with the newer recreational platform. Look for home grow, process for authorization and possession limits to lead the challenges as lawmakers attempt to refine the regulatory platforms, and assure the state coffers the oft promised additional revenue, so poorly need right now in Washington State.

 

Alaska? You In?:

By 52%, Alaskans voted yes to a similar recreational use law. They, like Washington will have to go through a full regulatory process formation, and in their case, the formation of a new unique agency, a marijuana control board. Executive office officials have been said to favor putting the board under their  Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. The Board then will have nine months to run the same gauntlet our LCB (Liquor Control Board) has been through. It took Washington’s LCB almost three years to make provision for recreational use cannabis access by citizens. And the road to cannabis sale was a bumpy one including recent findings of violation of open meeting laws by the LCB, which otherwise prided itself for transparency.

 

Who’s Next?:

You don’t have to be straight to see the trend here. Like so many issues in American today, Congress sits immodbnilized drawing its salary and doing nothing. 2016 is slated to be  huge year for recreational cannabis law passage. Nothing brings out the young and the recreational users like a chance to stop hiding in the corner to smoke and trying to find a friend who has a friend who knows a guy who can score you some get-high. Prohibition is leaning over but not down yet. It is a matter of time before a crtical mass of states will allow recreatoinal use. Florida would have join the cannabis league had their provision on the Tuesday ballot not been a constitutional amendment which requires 60% vote. 57% of Floridians voted yes to a medical cannabis law.

 

 

Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s Announcement below:

 

 

 

OLCC’s Statement on Passage of Measure 91

 

PORTLAND, Ore. – In response to the voters’ decision to pass Measure 91, Steven Marks, Executive Director of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has released the following statement:

 

“The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will work with other state agencies to implement Measure 91 with a great amount of accountability through a transparent and public process.  Implementation of recreational marijuana in Oregon will have an emphasis on bringing Oregon’s marijuana industry into a regulated and licensed marketplace.

 

From now until January 2016, OLCC will be exploring many policy questions that will require extensive public and stakeholder input.  As we move forward, we will focus on preventing marijuana sales to minors, protecting consumers through establishing standards and providing education, as well as supporting law enforcement in their efforts to prevent unlicensed sale and production of marijuana.

 

It is a great responsibility to implement this measure.  Although we have learned much already, we will continue to look to our Washington and Colorado neighbors for best practices and opportunities for improvement.  We have been preparing for what lies ahead. We will work with our stakeholders, legislators and the public to create a safe and secure program that will meet the terms of the law and satisfy the wishes of Oregonians.”

 

 

When the measure goes into effect on July 1, 2015, an individual can possess up to eight (8) oz of marijuana per residence and can home grow of up to four (4) plants per residence in Oregon.  Measure 91 requires OLCC to begin accepting license applications no later than Jan. 4, 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

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