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OREGON More Moratoriums on New Cannabis Licenses
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Another pause on Cannabis licensing has gained traction among legislators in Oregon. House Bill 4016 passed in the Senate 24-to-3 on March 2, following a round of amendments last month. The bill now sits at the senate president’s desk, awaiting a signature. From there it is set to see Governor Kate Brown, who is expected to move the bill forward. If signed into law, the bill would authorize the OLCC to “based on supply of and demand for marijuana, refuse to issue initial marijuana production, processing, wholesale and retail licenses for the amount of time commission determines necessary.” This power would remain in effect until March 2024. The bill faces industry backlash as community members are divided between licensing access and an increasingly over-saturated market.
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Class Action Lawsuit Seeks Compensation for Select Oil Customers A class action lawsuit is seeking compensation for Oregonians that “purchased Select Elite, Select Pax or Select Dabbables vapes between Aug. 15, 2018 and Nov. 22, 2019.” The settlement states that a payment of $200 per claim IT’S ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY will be made in AS 186,000 check or digital OREGONIANS form “unless the PURCHASED THESE AFFECTED number of claims PRODUCTS. exceeds the funds available.” Those affected can file their claim at OregonClassActionSettlement.com before the April 29 deadline. The settlement comes nearly two years after a number of Select Oil products were found to contain additives, while simultaneously labeled “100% marijuana.” It’s estimated that as many as 186,000 Oregonians purchased these affected products. The lawsuit (originally settled by former Cura owners in August of 2021) came in addition to a $110,000 “dishonest conduct” penalty paid to the OLCC.
apR. 2022
Cannabis Sales Tax Increase Falls Short A bill boosting Oregon Cannabis taxes has died in the Oregon Legislature. Senate Bill 1506 was opposed by many industry brands and consumers, with sales taxes already as high as 20% in some localities. The legislation would have permitted cities and counties to raise their local tax from 3% to 10% (on top of the state’s 17%), but many industry advocates claim that the move would bolster illegal market sales. While recent attempts saw lawmakers fail to slip a Cannabis tax amendment into an unrelated bill, it’s expected to be a recurring theme in future sessions – especially as some Oregon cities push to fund a fight against border-hopping buyers.
Oregonians Respond to The Future of Psilocybin The Oregon Health Authority recently conducted a Psilocybin Community Interest Survey. The survey was first made available to the public on January 7, with links distributed via press releases and mailing lists. Of the 4,421 survey participants, 94% (4,162) expressed interest in accessing AND ANXIETY services, with “general well-being” selected as 3,004 participants’ DEPRESSION WERE ALSO AMONG THE reason for seeking psilocybin therapy. Depression and anxiety TOP REASONS, WITH 2,687 RESPONSES PER CATEGORY. were also among the top reasons, with 2,687 responses per category. Those looking to fill the future fungal demands were tallied as well: A total of 1,613 survey submissions showed interest in acquiring a “facilitator” license, while 982 stated interest in “manufacturing.” While the survey is no longer available, Oregonians interested in providing input related to psilocybin products, testing and training are encouraged to add their remarks during the Public Comment Period of April 1-22. A public hearing will also take place on April 18 and April 21.
STORIES by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for OREGON LEAF
