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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
Marijuana testing poses regulatory quandaries
A barrier to
entering the
legal market
By MATEUSZ
PERKOWSKI
Capital Bureau
WILSONVILLE — Mar-
ijuana testing is creating sev-
eral quandaries for Oregon
regulators at a time of over-
all uncertainty for the newly
legalized crop, according to a
state official.
Testing for pesticides poses
one challenge, as the necessary
instrumentation is expensive and
complicated, said Jeff Rhoades,
senior adviser on marijuana pol-
icy for Gov. Kate Brown.
While state regulators want
to protect public health, test-
ing is a large barrier to entry
into the legal recreational mar-
ijuana market, he said during
the Oregon Board of Agricul-
ture meeting Wednesday in
Wilsonville.
An overly strict testing
regime would be a disadvan-
tage to small growers while
favoring large out-of-state
companies, Rhoades said.
“It’s a very delicate balance
with testing here,” he said.
One pesticide that’s com-
monly used on grapes, for
example, breaks down into
hydrogen cyanide when set
aflame, he said.
Meanwhile,
marijuana
is sold not just as a flower,
but also in the form of vari-
ous tinctures and extracts that
require specific testing meth-
ods, Rhoades said.
“It can’t be just a one-size-
fits-all approach,” he said.
There are also no federally
approved pesticides that are
specific to the psychoactive
crop, Rhoades said.
Oregon has 18 laboratories
accredited to test marijuana,
but just four are able to test for
pesticides.
Other marijuana traits that
are tested for include micro-
bial contamination, solvents
and potency.
Potency testing has also
encountered problems since it
became mandatory in October,
said Rhoades.
Marijuana growers were
receiving greatly variable
results from different labs, and
so were flocking to those pro-
viding the highest potency rat-
ings, he said.
“Lab shopping was happen-
ing all over the place,” he said.
Regulators are now trying
to create a standardized testing
protocol for potency so grow-
ers can expect uniform results,
Rhoades said.
Taxes from marijuana sales
in Oregon are expected to be a
boon to state coffers, but first
the Oregon Liquor Control
Commission must be repaid
for its extensive work in creat-
ing a regulatory system for the
crop, he said.
The state Department of
Agriculture has also been
heavily involved in regulations
involving pesticides, food
safety and accurate scale sys-
tems, Rhoades said.
Exactly how the agency
will be repaid for these efforts
is currently unclear, though the
issue is being discussed and
will likely surface during the
2017 legislative session, he
said.
Marijuana remains ille-
gal under federal law, which
has made banks leery of deal-
ing with marijuana companies
— a complication that raises
additional issues, Rhoades
said.
“It’s an all-cash business at
this point, which creates public
safety concerns and tax collec-
tion concerns,” he said.
Regulators in Oregon and
the seven other states where
recreational marijuana is now
Gay Men’s Chorus
concert rescheduled
Former state attorney general, lawmaker dies
Myers defended
physician-assisted
suicide law
By ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press
SALEM — Hardy Myers,
a lawyer who became a poli-
tician in the Oregon Legisla-
ture in his 30s and rose to the
position of House speaker, and
then was elected state attorney
general three times, has died at
age 77.
He was remembered for
defending Oregon’s physi-
cian-assisted suicide law, a
case that reached the U.S.
Supreme Court, with Myers’
Senior Assistant Attorney
General Robert Atkinson suc-
cessfully arguing the case in
2005. Myers also championed
litigation against tobacco com-
panies — coincidentally he
himself was a smoker — that
brought in millions of dollars
to Oregon, and still does.
Notes of praise and con-
dolence poured in, includ-
ing from Oregon’s governor
and its Senate president, after
word spread that Myers had
died Tuesday night in Port-
land from complications from
pneumonia. He also had lung
cancer.
Gov. Kate Brown said
“Oregon lost a true statesman
today,” calling him “a man of
unquestionable integrity and
commitment to the rule of law.”
Born in Mississippi and
raised in the central Oregon
towns of Bend and Prineville,
Myers returned to his birth
state to earn an undergraduate
degree from the University of
Mississippi. He then graduated
from the University of Ore-
gon’s law school.
He was elected to the state
House of Representatives in
the 1974 election, representing
a Portland district, and served
there until 1985. He became
speaker of the House in 1979.
Lori Cain/Statesman-Journal
Former Oregon Attorney
General Hardy Myers died
Tuesday night from compli-
cations from pneumonia.
Senate President Peter
Courtney said in a statement
that Myers was an inspiration.
“He taught me everything,”
Courtney said. “He taught me
to respect the institution. He
taught me to respect the pro-
cess. He taught me to respect
other people and other view-
points. He was a wonderful
gentleman.”
Kristen Grainger, who
served as Myers’ legislative
director and communications
director for six years, said he
was very humble.
“He was the last to take
credit and the first to shoulder
blame,” said Grainger, who is
now Brown’s communications
director. “Hardy embodied
integrity. He viewed all aspects
of public service through the
lens of what best served Ore-
gonians; what legacy the deci-
sions he made would impart
for future generations.”
When Myers was run-
ning for re-election as attor-
ney general, his campaign
manager borrowed a convert-
ible from a car dealership for
Myers to ride in at a Fourth
of July parade, and the can-
didate made his staffer return
it because the Department of
Justice’s consumer protection
lawyers investigate those types
of business, Grainger recalled.
“He just didn’t think it was
appropriate,” Grainger said.
Myers is survived by his
wife, Mary Ann, their sons and
grandchildren.
The Daily Astorian
A concert featuring the
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus
has been rescheduled.
The North Coast Chorale
is hosting the visiting chorus
for a special holiday concert
at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at Astoria
High School.
The concert had originally
been scheduled for Saturday.
The Gay Men’s Chorus
will perform “A Holiday Cel-
A ST O R S T R E E T
O PRY C O M PA N Y ’ S
21 A N N U A L
ST
The popular Fort to Sea
Trail at Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park
is closed after a fallen tree
destroyed a bridge about half a
mile below the overlook.
The trail could be closed for
another week, park staff said.
The tree fell during the high
winds that hit the coast over the
Thanksgiving holiday. Accord-
ing to park staff, the bridge is
now impassable. Maintenance
staff hiked out to the area on
Clatsop Post 12
Monday and Tuesday to begin
clearing the tree, but discovered
they would have to replace the
entire bridge.
Park staff said this partic-
ular bridge and other older
bridges in the park are slated to
be updated or replaced in the
coming years. In this case, the
tree forced an early look.
This effectively shuts down
one section of park trails since the
Kwis Kwis extension trail is also
closed for selective tree felling.
On the park’s Facebook
page, staff recommend enjoy-
ing the South Slough trail, the
Kwis Kwis loop trail or the
W A NTED
Friday
Dec. 2 nd
$2 entrance fee helps A SO C or 2 cans of food for the C latsop C o. Food Bank
Haystack Holiday Traditions
Come celebrate with us –
Cannon Beach is off ering can’t miss events to make your holiday season merry and bright!
L AMP L IGHTING C EREMONY
S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 3 | 4 PM
Sandpiper Square
Treats & refreshments after the ceremony.
Cannon Beach’s most loved holiday event!
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
4 pm until gone
$
O V E R 50 A RT ISA N S L IV E M U SIC
SA N T A 10-N O O N | S A T & SU N
mellow Netul Trail as alterna-
tives while the Fort to Sea Trail
is closed.
Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500
Saturday
December 3 rd
9AM-2 PM
8. 00
725 33rd St
Astoria
Artist Faire
1636 E xchange Street
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
ual Holiday Bazaa
n
n
r
A and Bake Sale
Starving
A ST O R IA A R M O RY
C ANNON B EACH C HORUS H OLIDAY
C ONCERT
First Lutheran Church
French Dips and
Potato Salad
ebration,” with music from
Christmas, Hanukkah and
solstice.
The concert will also feature
new works composed by cho-
rus members, the Locomotions
dance troupe and the classical
acapella ensemble Cascade.
Tickets cost $15 for adults
and $7 for students and are
available at the door. Proceeds
will benefit Clatsop Commu-
nity College’s Performing
Arts Center.
F R ID A Y, D E C . 2 • 7-10 pm
SA T U R D A Y, D E C . 3 • 10 am -6 pm
SU N D A Y, D E C . 4 • 1 1 am -4 pm
A fallen tree closes the Fort to Sea Trail
The Daily Astorian
legal were hoping for clarity
from the federal government
that would enable more bank-
ing involvement, he said.
With the recent election
and upcoming change in pres-
idential administrations, how-
ever, there’s great uncertainty
about federal marijuana pol-
icy, Rhoades said.
The Obama administra-
tion’s approach — which
allows recreational marijuana
as long as it’s kept out of the
black market and away from
children, among other mea-
sures — can be immediately
reversed by the Trump admin-
istration, he said.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
C ANNON B EACH IN L IGHTS &
‘N AME THAT T UNE ’ W INDOW D ISPLAY C ONTEST
N OVEMBER 25 - D ECEMBER 17
Holiday Lights voting open through Dec. 16 at the Chamber
or online at www.cannonbeach.org
H OLIDAY W REATH M AKING
D ECEMBER 9 | 7 PM
Cannon Beach Community Church
Tickets $ 10 for adults, 16 and under free.
Great traditional holiday music for your enjoyment!
P ICTURES WITH S ANTA
S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 10 | 1-4 PM
Cannon Beach Library
Come support the Cannon Beach Library and get
your picture with Santa.
S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 3 | 11 AM -3 PM
Cannon Beach Chamber Community Hall | Cost $ 15
C ANNON B EACH L IBRARY H OLIDAY T EA
S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 3 | 1-4 PM
Enjoy home baked cookies, tea and cider.
Great for the whole family!
6PM
“Karaoke Dave”
ASTORIA
AMERICAN LEGION
For complete information visit
www.cannonbeach.org/explore/Holiday-Events-in-Cannon-Beach-2016
503.436.2623
Clatsop Post 12
1132 Exchange Street
325-5771
Public Meeting
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the scope of issues, potential eff ects and range of alternatives evaluated in the EIS.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Loft at the Red Building
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