Just days before the end of the 2017 session, the Oregon legislature passed a major cannabis-related bill. Surviving a relatively close Senate vote last Thursday, HB 2198 now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Please see the bill’s key provisions below:
Oregon Cannabis Commission
The Oregon Cannabis Commission (OCC) within the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), will consist of a Public Health Officer and eight other commissioners appointed by the Governor. The OCC will provide guidance and oversight on a broad range of issues impacting the medical marijuana industry, including recommending a governance framework for the future of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). Additionally, the Commission will develop a long-term strategic plan to maintain the medical marijuana program’s viability as more medical growers move into the recreational system.
Limited Transfer of Medical Marijuana into OLCC System
A medical marijuana grow site with more than twelve plants may transfer up to twenty pounds of marijuana a year to licensed recreational marijuana processors and wholesalers. However, the medical grower must have registered their grow site with OHA prior to the date the Governor signs the bill into law. These transfers must be tracked in OLCC’s tracking system. The OLCC will also assess whether the amount of marijuana transferred from medical grow sites to wholesalers and processors per year can be increased without adversely affecting the market.
If the OLCC determines that the supply of marijuana exceeds consumer demand, it may issue a temporary order to limit the sale of marijuana items into the recreational system. These temporary orders may only be issued if the OLCC determines that the saturation of the market will not self-correct.
Mature Plant Limits
The mature plant limits previously in place under SB 1057 have been slightly increased. Now, the maximum amount of mature plants allowed at a property not registered as a marijuana grow site (such as private residences where patients are growing their own marijuana) is twelve plants. These are limited to up to six plants per patient.
Also, if there is only one patient and at least one more person above the age of twenty-one living at the address, the mature plant limit for the entire household is ten plants. That cap is based on a patient’s six plant limit under the OMMP program, in addition to up to four plants permitted for a non-patient adult living at the household. This provision clarifies questions related to “stacking” both medical and personal-use recreational marijuana plants at the same residence.
Immature Plant Limits
The new bill also replaced SB 1057’s immature plant restrictions for medical grow sites. A medical grow site may now have an unlimited number of immature plants under twenty-four inches. Two immature plants taller than twenty-four inches will be allowed for every mature marijuana plant on the grow site. For example, if a grow site has twelve mature plants, up to twenty-four (24) immature plants over twenty-four (24) inches would be permitted.
Caregiver Privileges
Designated primary caregivers are now clearly allowed to help patients with all things related to medical-use, including the production and processing of marijuana into concentrates or products (but not extracts). This clarifies the legal relationship between cardholders and their designated primary caregivers and will hopefully allow for patients less familiar with production and processing to fully benefit from their caregiver’s skills and knowledge.
Security System Exemption
OHA and OLCC may not require a medical marijuana grow site to use a security system, video surveillance, alarms, and sensors or physical barriers. This should ease concerns that medical patients and their caregivers might be forced to bear the high cost of installing the types of security systems required of recreational licensees. However, anyone growing marijuana plants at home must still keep all plants out of the public’s view.
OHA Grow Site Registration
For the purposes of verifying the address of a marijuana grow site, OHA shall accept tax lot numbers, assessor’s maps, or exact locations using latitude/longitude coordinates, GPS, or township coordinates. This gives patients and caregivers more options with respect to the documents they can provide to satisfy grow site verification requirements and will hopefully simplify the process of grow site registration.
Distance to Schools
If the OLCC determines there is a physical or geographic barrier preventing children from traveling to a marijuana retail location, a marijuana retailer premises may be located within 500-1000 feet of a school. Until now, local governments decided whether to grant exceptions to the distance requirement. HB 2198 delegates that authority to the OLCC exclusively.
Because this bill contains an emergency clause, it will take effect on the date the governor signs it. Absent a veto, this will likely be early next week. If you have any questions about the changes included in this bill or any other compliance-related issues, please contact one of our compliance attorneys.
