Oregon Cannabis Commission Releases Report and Legislative Recommendations
January 2019 Oregon Cannabis Commission Report
Oregon Cannabis Commission (OCC) Recommends Putting Cannabis Under One Roof. Takes revenue from retail sales.
The Oregon Cannabis Commission Report was released on February 1, 2019 to little fanfare as the OLCC’s year-end report on sales and the Secretary of State’s audit of the industry released in the same week garnered the media attention.
The Oregon Cannabis Commission, the result of House Bill 2198, was tasked with reporting back to the Legislature on the status of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) and what might be done to bring the program into the legalization landscape.
The report also contained recommendations to the legislature for creating a broad range of programs for cannabis in Oregon and also addresses the need for establishing a stable funding source for the OMMP, creating a state reference lab to increase patient and consumer safety, and finding a way for OLCC licensees to facilitate patients care.
First on the list of recommendations was for the state to consider putting all things cannabis under one body allowing for general oversight and rule making authority to ensure one agency or commission does nothing to adversely affect other cannabis stakeholders.
The second, and perhaps more important, recommendation comes in capturing some of the retail tax revenue for cannabis programs, projects and innovations such as a Cannabis research center, a state reference lab, training and education for healthcare professionals and a compassionate care program for patients in need.
Finally, to help reduce the cost of participation for patients and their growers, the state suggests establishing a funding source for the OMMP that does not require the cost of administering the program to be met by OMMP patients and growers.
It was also recommended that OLCC licensees be required to participate in patient care and access.
Time and interest will determine how many of the Commission’s recommendations become legislation but it is past time that recommendations of this magnitude be recognized and resolved by the state.