Bill to Aid Oregon’s Medical Marijuana Industry Gets Support

House Bill 2198 aims to allow Oregon’s medical marijuana growers to sell as much as 20-pounds of their harvests to the recreational market. The measure is an additional effort to keep the state’s fading medical marijuana program alive. A commission would be formed to create new framework to make the state’s medical marijuana program viable long-term.

Many of the state’s medical marijuana patients are low-income, so they rely on the medical marijuana program, Portland Business Journal reports. Grower and director of Umpqua Cannabis Association doesn’t think the bill goes far enough though.

Anthony Taylor of Compassionate Oregon said, “It really is an important bill that’s going to allow the state of Oregon to remain a leader for medical marijuana programs.”

John Sajo of Umpqua Cannabis Association said, “It’s a very small step. For existing medical gardens there should have been no limit.”

Last week, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means voted 9-1 in favor of advancing the bill. Oregon once had 425 medical marijuana dispensaries. Since recreational marijuana became legal, there are only 42 dedicated medical marijuana dispensaries statewide. The number of recreational business licenses issued was 452 at last count.

Last week, Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 1057 into law that gives the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) oversight of the state’s medical marijuana growers. The bill requires a tracking system from seed/plant to sale.

Some of the state’s legislators and law-enforcement officials commend the changes as they cite that the tighter regulations are necessary to protect the state’s medical marijuana program.