3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2018
State says medical marijuana
program needs more oversight
Grow sites need
more scrutiny
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Oregon’s report-
ing and tracking of medical
marijuana has been “inadequate
and inaccurate,” increasing the
risk of medical marijuana being
diverted into the black market, a
new state report says.
The Oregon Medical Mar-
ijuana Program doesn’t have
reliable, independent ways to
verify grow site addresses, and
it doesn’t do enough inspections
of grow sites, either, according
to a report by the Oregon Health
Authority. There are more than
20,000 medical marijuana grow
sites in the state. But last year,
the medical marijuana program
inspected just 58 sites.
Registrants also comply
with reporting requirements at
low rates — in 2017, monthly
EO Media Group
The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program doesn’t have reli-
able, independent ways to verify grow site addresses, and
it doesn’t do enough inspections of grow sites, according
to a report by the Oregon Health Authority.
compliance rates among grow-
ers ranged from 26 percent to
42 percent. The program has
also had problems “ensuring the
appropriate and verified destruc-
tion” of medical marijuana
products that fail lab tests for
pesticides and other chemicals.
Oregon voters legalized
medicinal use of marijuana
in 1998. The Oregon Health
Authority says some of the
problems with Oregon’s sys-
tem have existed since the sys-
tem got up and running in 1999.
But some of the problems
were made worse by changes
to the market after Oregonians
voted to legalize recreational
cannabis in 2014.
Oregon Health Author-
ity Director Patrick Allen, who
requested the report, said in a
statement that the agency is
working to improve tracking
growers, enforcing rules and
“making sure product that fails
testing has been destroyed.”
“More than 40,000 Orego-
nians depend on medical mar-
ijuana to treat their qualifying
medical conditions,” Allen said.
“We are taking steps to main-
tain the integrity of Oregon’s
medical marijuana program
and make sure medical prod-
ucts reach the patients who need
them.”
The agency claims “chronic
underfunding and understaff-
ing” limit the medical marijuana
program’s ability to properly
regulate medicinal marijuana.
Anthony Taylor, president
of Compassionate Oregon, a
patient advocacy group for med-
ical cannabis, declined to com-
ment late Thursday because he
had not had a chance to review
the report.
The Capital Bureau is a col-
laboration between EO Media
Group and Pamplin Media
Group.
Cockrum, Smith announce re-election bids in Gearhart
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
GEARHART — Kerry
Smith and Paulina Cockrum
will seek a return to the Gear-
hart City Council.
Smith and Cockrum made
their re-election campaign
announcements at Wednes-
day’s council meeting. So far,
they are the only candidates.
Smith, a Gearhart resident
for more than 30 years, worked
in the home construction indus-
try and with the Trans-Alaska
Pipeline System. He was
elected to the council’s Dis-
trict 1 seat in 2014, defeating
incumbent Al Carder.
Paulina
Cockrum
Kerry
Smith
Smith said he enjoys the
work and working with the
council. “I’d like to see us bring
Gearhart into the 21st century
completely — but stay small,
stay friendly and not lose sight
of that,” he said.
Originally from Seattle,
Cockrum is a nurse at Colum-
bia Memorial Hospital in Asto-
ria and was selected by the
governor to serve on the Coor-
dinated Care Organization
Criteria Work Group. A for-
mer member of the Gearhart
Planning Commission, Cock-
rum was appointed by Mayor
Dianne Widdop to fill the unex-
pired term of City Councilor
John Duncan in District 3 after
Duncan died in 2015.
Cockrum serves on the
city’s Community Emergency
Response Team.
“Most importantly, I would
like to be an advocate for our
current comprehensive plan
and make sure we’re follow-
ing that in every subject that
comes to us, any development
we undertake,” Cockrum said
after the meeting.
She characterized her time
on the council as positive and
praised the council’s ability to
compromise.
Gearhart latest coast city to
consider beach wheelchairs
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
GEARHART — Access
to free beach wheelchairs
for people with disabilities
could move to Gearhart, fol-
lowing in the tracks of Man-
zanita, Cannon Beach and,
most recently, Seaside.
Randy Anderson, who
helped pioneer the Sea-
side program, went before
the Gearhart City Council
on Wednesday to propose a
similar service in Gearhart.
He also offered to launch the
Gearhart program with the
donation of the city’s first
wheelchair.
Anderson proposed a
partnership with the resort
Gearhart by the Sea to pro-
vide storage closer to the
beach. “Then it’s right on the
beach access road,” he said.
Visitors could park on
Ocean Way or North Mar-
ion, he said, and access
the wheelchair by using an
electronic code. He said he
would provide maintenance
on the wheelchair.
“What a worthwhile pro-
gram to get started,” Mayor
Matt Brown said. “I’d be
very interested in seeing this
happen.”
Seaside’s beach wheel-
chair program opened for
free public rentals in July,
administered by the Sunset
Empire Park and Recreation
District.
The first person to use
the program in Seaside was
a 16-year-old girl, Anderson
said at the Gearhart meeting.
“This was the first
time she was able to
access the beach, touch
beach sand and touch
the ocean,” Anderson
said. “A perfect start.”
Seaside has two wheel-
chairs in service, both
donated by Patrick and
Denise Duhachek of Wheel
Fun Rentals. Anderson has
donated a third wheelchair
to Seaside, expected to be
available later this month.
“They’re pretty durable
and they move pretty easy,”
Anderson said. “When you
get into some of the softer
sand, it’s a little difficult, but
when you get into the hard-
packed sand, it’s a breeze.”
Anderson asked the city
to cover the cost of a $13 per
month insurance policy.
The budget could “take
on this cost,” City Adminis-
trator Chad Sweet said. “The
risk is pretty low. And I like
the public-private partner-
ship on this.”
Resident Jeanne Mark
suggested establishing a
fund for additional wheel-
chairs. “If the one is success-
ful, it’s likely we can fund
another,” Mark said.
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GHADAR MEMORIAL FOUNDATION OF ASTORIA invites you to celebrate the lives and mission of the martyrs of
The Ghadar Party
Saturday, July 14 th , 2018 • 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Maritime Park (Ghadar Memorial Park), Astoria, Oregon
BRING YOUR FAMILIES FOR A FUN FULL DAY EVENT!
Sikh Martial Arts (Gatka) • Cultural Dances (bhangra/giddha)
Kids Play Area • of course, lots of food, too!
OUR HONORABLE GUESTS FOR THE EVENT INCLUDE:
Ellen Rosenblum
Attorney General, State of Oregon
Betsy Johnson
Oregon State Senator, District 16
Johanna “Jo” Ogden
Portland Historian
Willis Van Dusen
former Astoria Mayor
Mayors of Astoria & other surrounding areas
A special thank you to all OR & WA Gurdwaras for their support!
Ghadar, a radical Indian independence party founded in Astoria 1913, is a
movement with a message for today. Come celebrate its legacy July 14th!
• We invite all those who are curious about Astoria’s deep tie with Indian
independence.
Ghadar was formed by East Indian immigrants who instead of bowing in fear,
forged alliances with many in Astoria and beyond, and among the diverse
East Indian community that lived and worked in Oregon and the West. Sikhs,
Muslims, Hindus, workers, students and intellectuals joined together to de-
mand their rights as global citizens, risking everything to do so.
Mr. Bahadur Singh
Chairman of the
Ghadar Memorial
Foundation
Opening ceremony with Gurbani Kirtan (hymn singing) & Gatka (martial arts). Eugene Bhangra Group from Eugene, OR &
Maharja Bhangra Group from Camas, WA will be entertaining our guests with Bhangra and Giddha (folk dances) performances.
Inquiries/RSVP’s, please contact: Bahadur Singh 503-559-8233 or bahadurji@yahoo.com
