The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) on Tuesday approved new rules for some products sold in the state, including limiting hemp-derived edible products to 2 milligrams of THC per serving and up to 20 milligrams of THC per container.
The regulators also approved a rule requiring artificially derived cannabinoids — such as delta-8 products — to go through the ordinary regulatory review required for dietary supplements or food products.
The OLCC said in a press release that it had worked with legal cannabis industry operators over the last 18 months to develop the new regulations, most of which are set to take effect January 1, 2022, while other regulations won’t take effect until 2023.
Steve Marks, OLCC executive director, said that the new regime tries to balance “consumer health and safety, interests of small and large operators in our industry, and public safety concerns around loopholes in the Federal Farm Bill of 2018, and the illicit farm production taking place in Oregon.”
State lawmakers recently passed a bill dedicating $25 million to combat illegal cannabis grows in the state while an October OLCC report found that 54% of hemp farms in southern Oregon were actually producing THC-rich cannabis illegally.
The new rules also increase adult-use purchase limits to up to two ounces of flower – up from one ounce – and increase edible concentrations from 50 milligrams of THC per package to 100 milligrams per package beginning April 1, 2022.
Home delivery will also be allowed across city and county lines as long as local authorities approve of it. Additional rule changes include reducing the time and cost for licensees to report plant tagging and harvests into the state’s Cannabis Tracking System and improving licensees’ ability to self-distribute their products.
In a statement, OLCC Commissioner Matt Maletis said the new rules “may not make everyone happy” but they are “a pathway” that he believes “solves a lot of the issues” currently facing the state’s industry.
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