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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2016)
14 Wednesday, June 15, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Oregon races to finalize rules for marijuana By andrew Selsky Associated Press PORTLAND (AP) — After months of public hearings with pot growers, lawmen, public health officials and others, an Oregon commission is racing to finalize recreational mari- juana regulations and issue licenses to hundreds of busi- nesses within a few months. But those who aim to pro- duce souped-up coffee and other niche products might have to wait a bit longer. “It’s like the circus around here,” Oregon Liquor Control Commission Chair Rob Patridge said after a hear- ing in which a pot advocate and a panel member argued about whether marijuana is safer than alcohol, and an entrepreneur discussed sell- ing marijuana-infused java, eliciting blank looks from commissioners. The commission has been grappling with its massive task, issues that Colorado and Washington state previ- ously dealt with, including the number of licenses initially offered. Besides Oregon, Alaska also legalized pot in 2014. Oregon decided to do some things differently, including: • Setting a lower tax rate than Washington’s 37 percent and Colorado’s rate of upward of 29 percent. A pot advocate who helped write Oregon’s legalization measure said this allows for the regulated busi- nesses to effectively compete with the illegal market by not driving their prices too high. • Avoiding caps on the number of licenses, so “we can let capitalism work it out, like we do with bars and brew- eries with no cap,” Anthony Johnson said. The OLCC has had to deal with changes mandated by the legislature and requests from numerous interests as it estab- lishes the regulations. ht. Noon to Midnig Really. Pasta Dishes, Paninis, Desserts Homemade from scratch Beer & Wine Take Out / Eat In 541-549-SPOT (7768) Open 12pm-12am Tues-Sun 101 E. Main Ave. #A, Sisters (Next to Metamorphosis) D! LOCALLYOWNE our Make R Spot y spot! “We’re trying to accom- modate everybody, but you’ve got to realize that people are throwing a new business model at us every day ... like coffee, like ice cream, like yogurt, like marijuana tasting bars,” Patridge said. At some point, “we have to stop, get the rules in place” and then assess it again. Patridge is an unlikely champion of making mari- juana go mainstream, a trade whose outlaw status used to evoke images of marijuana- laden burros being led down the Sierra Madres and of pilots contour-flying across borders to avoid radar. A district attorney from a conservative southern Oregon county, Patridge voted against legal pot, and is still against it. “I’m not going to stand on the air hose of what Oregonians wish to do,” he said. “My side lost, and so now we’re going to put in the best system that we can put in, to allow these marijuana entrepreneurs to move for- ward, and allow the public the access that they voted for.” Johnson, a lawyer work- ing fulltime on marijuana political reform, was at first wary of Patridge, but the two have formed a bond. Patridge keeps Johnson’s mobile num- ber on his own cell phone and calls him “the Godfather of Measure 91.” “I will admit that I had some misgivings that a Republican district attorney was going to be a good stew- ard for the marijuana indus- try,” Johnson said. “But I have been very surprised and pleased with how Rob has handled the job.” Business people have been coming from around the country — lawmakers recently tossed out a residents-only requirement — to try to get a piece of Oregon’s cannabis industry that already existed for 18 years with medical marijuana. The commission said it wants at least part of the sup- ply chain ready by year’s end. When complete, it will cover production from seed to store and will allow the tracking of the marijuana with a computer dashboard using data from radio-frequency identification scanners and tags. We believe that the pacific Northwest will be the epicenter for high- quality cannabis.... — Joe Bergen “Each plant has a serial number, just like a VIN number on a car,” said Scott Denholm, executive director of metrc, which has partnered with the commission to build the tracking system. The commission issued its first recreational mari- juana licenses on May 2 to eight businesses, including one called Far Out Farms. It is dealing with more than 1,500 license applications as of Wednesday, and approved about 50 others. Each applicant must undergo a criminal back- ground check and receive land-use approval from local authorities. The commission’s staff was increased by about 44 staff to around 260 to han- dle the extra work, Patridge said. Steve Marks, the com- mission’s executive director, said he spends 70 percent of his time on marijuana issues, which is turning out to be a big business. Medical marijuana dispen- saries, which can sell recre- ational marijuana until Dec. 31, started collecting a 25 percent tax on those sales in January. Recreational outlets will charge a 17 percent tax. The state says it processed a whopping $10.5 million in marijuana tax payments through April 29. The Legislative Revenue Office in May quadrupled its estimate of net tax revenues, from $8.4 million to $35 mil- lion, that the state is expected to receive from recreational marijuana through June 30, 2017, according to Malik Mazen, senior economist with the Legislature. A company named Avitas, which is awaiting a license, began refitting a former cabi- net factory in March located less than a mile from the state Capitol in Salem into a 12,000-square-foot “can- nabis production facility” and expects to be done by mid-June. The facility is expected to produce 160 pounds of pot per month, plus a powerful can- nabis oil produced with com- pressed carbon dioxide. Avitas General Manager Joe Bergen predicted that the industry will have an enor- mous effect on the economy, and predicted other states will legalize. “We believe that the Pacific Northwest will be the epicen- ter for high-quality cannabis because of the climate and cul- ture here, much like the craft brewery movement,” he said. Youth can build skills at baseball camp Sisters youth are invited to learn the fundamentals and skills of baseball at Sisters Outlaw Baseball Camp. The camp will be held at the Sisters High School var- sity baseball field from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, June 20-22. Cost is $85 with $15 discount for each additional child in a family. Per-day cost is $27 for those who can’t make all three days (and scholarships may be available). Register by calling Coach Steve Hodges at 541-719- 1255 or 503-537-4221. The camp offers specific position instruction; game time; daily skill competition; a hitting evaluation; and base running instruction. Participants should bring a bat; glove; hat; sunglasses; snack; and plenty of water. Baseball pants, sweats, or shorts are allowed — no jeans.
