Oregon Recreational Deadline Pushback

By OCC Staff

Sept 28, 2016 – Some Oregon cannabis businesses want the looming deadline pushed back, while others disagree and think its time to move ahead. Deadline pushers say the businesses are unprepared, while pushback comes from many who say there have been enough delays and the time is now.

The Oregon Cannabis Association, previously known as the Growers PAC and lead by Portland attorney Amy Margolis, is seeking a delay in the testing, packaging, and labeling rules, set to go into effect October 1^st. Margolis testified in Salem that businesses are unprepared and they should get a break.

“This extension is crucial for the survival of many, many businesses,” Margolis told Oregon lawmakers September 23, 2016 during a meeting of the Joint Committee on Marijuana.

One edible and extract processor has had to throw out $8,000 worth of packaging due to rules changes. Cameron Yee of Lunchbox Alchemy vigorously complained about the process, and what it has cost him, to the Joint Committee.

“It’s a disaster,” Yee told the committee. “We are trying. We are not going to make it by Oct. 1. We are not going to have product on the shelf.”

Many industry experts disagree, especially on the testing rule. Many labs spent substantial amounts of money and many hours of preparation to become certified in time for the deadline.

“It is true that it is a tight time-line and it’s a real challenge and it’s not a perfect system, but we have also demonstrated that you can do it,” explained Roger Voelker of OG Analytical, a testing lab in Eugene.

“That is a playbook right out of big tobacco, like hey, you need to move the rules so we can continue our unregulated commerce of a potentially dangerous product,” said the director of another certified lab.

A decision will come soon, since the deadline is hours away.

Source: The Cannabist and Oregonlive

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