Oregon approves several changes to the regulation of the cannabis industry
Oregon has approved several changes in the regulation of the cannabis industry for the new year, including doubling the amount of marijuana customers can buy and allow home delivery across city and county lines.
At a meeting on Dec. 28, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission approved new rules that officials say will help streamline industry oversight, reduce violations, expand consumer choices and help prevent children from accessing hemp products containing THC, according to a press release from the Agency.
The changes are a response to the industry̵[ads1]7;s rapid growth, and will put Oregon more in line with other states in terms of rules for marijuana use, as well as position the state in the export market if marijuana is legalized nationally, officials said.
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While some of the new rules came into force on January 1, others come into force later this year.
The new rules were driven by two bills passed in 2021. House Bill 3000 established a framework to limit the unregulated sale of hemp products containing THC. The Senate’s Bill 408 provided the Commission with a sketch for the restructuring of penalties for violations by licensees.
The following are some of the changes:
- Consumers can buy two ounces of usable marijuana – up from one ounce – from January 1st. Edible concentration limits will increase from 50 mg THC to 100 mg per pack on 1 April. Individual portions (of no more than 10 mg THC) will need to be scored to make the portion sizes clear.
- Home delivery will now be allowed across city and county lines as long as local authorities approve it. Previously, delivery was limited to the city or county where a cannabis dealer was located.
- To ensure that hemp products containing large amounts of THC do not coincide with general market products, the Commission will limit the general market sales of hemp edible products to 2 mg THC in a single serving, and up to 20 mg THC per container of hemp product. This rule enters into force on 1 July.
- The Commission requires non-intoxicating artificially derived cannabinoids to go through the ordinary regulatory review process required for ingredients in food supplements or food products. In order for the Commission to approve something like cannabinol (CBN) in the future, CBN must meet the standard for a notification of new dietary ingredients, generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The Commission’s licensees will have 18 months to bring their CBN products into line.
- The commission reduces the time and cost for licensees to report the labeling and harvesting of marijuana plants in the state’s Cannabis Tracking System and improves the licensees’ ability to distribute their products themselves.
- The Commission will start accepting label applications for edible marijuana products that exceed 50 mg THC in the package. Foods exceeding 50 mg THC will not be eligible for sale until April 1, regardless of whether a label is approved.
A draft of the Commission’s new rules is below:
Visit the OLCC Web site for more information at oregon.gov/olcc/.
Virginia Barreda is the latest news and public safety reporter for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at 503-399-6657 or at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ vbarreda2.
