Marijuana dispensaries in Oregon starting Saturday must adhere to state regulations that call for all new products to be tested by laboratories certified by the Oregon Health Authority and licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Throughout the state, only five testing labs are licensed and certified, including one, Juniper Analytics, in Bend. The lack of licensed labs is creating a bottleneck as marijuana growers and processors line up to test marijuana they can stock after Saturday. Few dispensaries will have new products for their shelves.
As a temporary fix, the state is allowing dispensaries to continue selling products already in stock, if those products are labeled with the words: Does not meet new testing requirements. Other packaging and labeling rules also take effect Saturday.
Consumers will not see shortages, although prices may eventually rise, Jeremy Kwit, owner of Bloom Well dispensary on Division Street, said Thursday. That doesnt mean retailers, processors and others involved behind the scenes arent frustrated. The slow pace of licensing marijuana businesses and approval of packages and labeling is creating delays, confusion and added expense, Kwit said.
Every aspect and every element of the industry is unprepared, he said, including the regulators.
A message left with the OLCC was not returned Thursday.
Kwit said he purchased 900 generic labels to paste over vendors labels to meet what he perceived as state requirements. According to the health authority, all marijuana items must be packaged in labels approved by the OLCC by Oct. 1. Only one of the many vendors that supply Bloom Well its products has provided approved labels, Kwit said. He and his employees will be replacing the remainder themselves with generic labels at a labeling party.
Dispensaries starting Saturday must also use child-resistant packaging, which many already do. Another Saturday deadline that called for the Oregon Department of Agriculture to license the kitchens where edible marijuana products are made was moved to Jan. 1. The Oregon Health Authority extended the deadline in order to maintain a supply of products for medical marijuana patients while processors work toward compliance with the new regulations.
At Top Shelf Medicine, a NE Greenwood Avenue dispensary, owner David Ordonez said hes prepared for October sales but slightly confused by the changing deadlines in the marijuana business. The regulatory environment, he said, is slightly intimidating right now.
Were all scared to say stuff, Ordonez said Thursday.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Saturday Deadlines For Marijuana
Author: Joseph Ditzler
Contact: news@bendbulletin.com
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: The Bulletin
