Measure 91 Passes
OREGONIANS APPROVE BALLOT MEASURE 91 REMOVING PENALTIES FROM SOME ASPECTS OF STATE MARIJUANA LAWS.
While it will still be a felony for cultivation, possession, distribution, and sale of marijuana, those growing four plants or possessing less than eight ounces of marijuana will be free from prosecution. The law takes effect for personal cultivation and possession July 1, 2015 just two months after moratoriums on medical marijuana dispensaries are scheduled to end and retail sales will begin July 1, 2016.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will be in charge of developing and implementing the rules and regulations around the sale of marijuana to the general public. It will be in charge of licensing producers, processors, wholesalers and distributors and will be setting up these rules over the next year or so.
There has been much concern regarding the continuing status of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and the fate of its patients, caregivers and growers. Measure 91 left the Program alone with no specific changes from its passage.
Compassionate Oregon will monitor the process of rulemaking and will continue its advocacy for patients and their families. This will not be an easy task as the Legislature will see this as an opportunity to make adjustments to the Program that may not best serve it participants. On the other hand it could be an excellent opportunity for us to leverage some long needed changes. Legislative drafts now being reviewed are of great concern and will be the topic of an upcoming series of stories. Many changes to benefit the patient have been hard fought and our vigilance will be needed even more.
So Congratulations to all the Measure 91campaign staff and volunteers for a job well done, to all the Oregonians that voted in favor of its passage, and to all those consumers that can now quit looking over their shoulder.