Oregon Health Authority Changes Cannabis Testing Rules…Again

Keith Mansur

Oregon Cannabis Connection

After releasing changes to their testing rules that were effective “immediately”, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued more rules on December 13th, changing some of the ones they just changed, but gave two days for the newer new rules to go into effect.

Confused? You are not alone.

On December 2^nd, OHA changed a number of the testing requirements to help “streamline” the process of testing which has created a backlog and the resulting shortage at dispensaries across Oregon. Some of their changes were overreaching and arbitrary, including a limit of 1,000 for a batch size, which is completely untenable for edibles and concentrate processors. Their new “streamlining” was going to cost much more than the previous rules, which were already ridiculously expensive.

There was a backlash against the rules, which has resulted in another set of rules that will supersede the previous rules they released. There was complaints about the “management by memo” aspect of the OHA and there’s a real distaste in the industry for the emergency rules changes from bureaucrats that are costing businesses setbacks, loss of product, and a lot of money for labeling, testing, and distribution of their products.

The release of these rules was also accompanied by a generous two day implementation delay, I assume they think that is a helpful lead time?

And, to change the batch limit from no limit originally, to 1,000 per the December 2nd Memo, and now to another arbitrary 35,000 limit, just shows how the OHA has no idea what they are doing and are not focused on the problem or understand the serious nature of their decisions.

The Oregon Health Authority have never given a damn about cannabis, cannabis patients, or anything else marijuana related. They have only done what has been required of them by the legislature or referendum. They only act when ordered to do so, and when they do they have no regard for what has been happening, what has been spent by businesses to conform to rules that already exist, and they do not focus on realities or facts.

They have let their canna-bigoted attitudes infect their thinking about this plant and its potential. They have let their dislike for medical marijuana cloud their judgment on decisions and have no regard for existing businesses or people’s livelihoods. They have shown little concern for patients and public safety regarding “tainted” marijuana until they were forced to act by the legislature.

The Oregon Health Authority is no friend of cannabis, and no friend of medical marijuana program participants in our state. They should be removed from the equation, and a new cannabis commission, one that represents patients and businesses, should be established to handle cannabis for medicine, adult use, and industrial hemp. It has become obvious that Oregon’s current system of bureaucracy can’t handle or understand the complicated subject that is cannabis. We need a different solution.

© Oregon Cannabis Connection. all rights reserved.