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OKLAHOMA CITY — Strain is mounting on the Oklahoma Legislature to rebid a contract with the state’s seed-to-sale marijuana monitoring system.
Lawmakers and hashish companies have complained that the present monitoring system, applied by Metrc on behalf of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, is complicated and has brought about issues for these attempting to observe the legislation.
Payments have been filed in each the Oklahoma Home and Senate that may pressure the authority to rebid the contract. State Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, has known as the present system “a catastrophe.”
“We’ve 1000’s of Oklahoma companies that had been broken financially due to the shortcoming of OMMA and Metrc to both talk or get their act collectively,” he informed The Oklahoman final month.
Roughly 1 in 5 companies regulated by OMMA had been issued $500 fines final 12 months as a result of the company stated that they had not arrange the correct account with Metrc. Whereas many of those had been most likely companies that existed solely on paper, The Oklahoman spoke with homeowners who stated they had been confused by the foundations or should not have been required to arrange a Metrc account within the first place.
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Fetgatter’s Home Invoice 1347 would give OMMA 30 days to ask for proposals and decide a successful bid.
One other invoice originating within the Senate would give hashish companies a alternative of monitoring companies to make use of. The authority would choose three to 5 companies for them to select from. Senate Invoice 177 additionally would let OMMA determine whether or not to select the distributors via a aggressive bidding course of.
The writer of that invoice is state Sen. Cody Rogers, R-Catoosa.
“I imagine capitalism works. It is advisable to open it as much as the free market and never let only one particular person firm dictate the seed-to-sale monitoring system for the state of Oklahoma and the business,” Rogers stated. “You may’t go wherever else.”
State lawmakers have filed dozens of hashish business payments forward of this 12 months’s legislative session that begins Feb. 6.
The proposed laws displays the business’s continued vital presence in Oklahoma, and in some methods anticipates extra development of the business if voters approve the March 7 statewide referendum on leisure marijuana.
Efficiency limits: Senate Invoice 440 offers the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority director energy to set limits on the efficiency of THC, the first psychoactive compound present in marijuana. The utmost allowable efficiency for the widespread type of THC often called delta-9 could be 30% for plant-based marijuana and 60% for marijuana merchandise, like concentrates and distilled liquids utilized in vape pens. Distillates usually check close to 70-80% THC as a result of they include little else; the language of SB440 gives no element for what sorts of filler could also be used to adjust to efficiency limits.
Location restrictions: Home Invoice 1014 prohibits new medical marijuana dispensaries from being established inside 900 toes of most locations of worship. One other invoice filed within the Senate contains the identical limits at 1,000 toes.
Hashish as agriculture: Most agricultural enterprises are exempt from state nuisance legal guidelines. Home Invoice 1457 clarifies that the cultivation of marijuana falls outdoors of these exempted actions. Senate Invoice 133 prohibits marijuana farms from receiving agricultural tax breaks, and Senate Invoice 913 would require growers to take care of a $25,000 bond.
Short-term licenses: Home Invoice 1350 creates a brand new non permanent enterprise license. Companies must first purchase the non permanent license and meet all OMMA rules earlier than turning into a completely licensed hashish enterprise. This could delay their capability to develop, course of, transport or promote medical marijuana till the authority grants an annual license.
Conflicts of curiosity: Home Invoice 1616 requires any elected or appointed official serving in state, county or metropolis authorities who has possession in a medical marijuana enterprise, or battle of curiosity, to inform OMMA.
Product testing: Home Invoice 1552 would put the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority between growers and the labs that check marijuana for compliance. As a substitute of growers sending check batches on to labs, an authority compliance officer would decide up the samples and transport them to the lab. One other measure, Senate Invoice 813, would enable OMMA to function its personal compliance laboratory. OMMA already contracts with a high quality assurance laboratory, Metis.
Marijuana medical doctors: Two payments by state Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, would add limits to the advice course of. Medical doctors who advocate medical marijuana must embody their title in a registry, observe new persevering with training necessities and see sufferers in particular person until the affected person is homebound. Dispensary staff would even have to fulfill OMMA’s instructional necessities.
February 2022 video: Medical marijuana business ‘inflicting main issues,’ Stitt says
10 issues which might be nonetheless unlawful below Oklahoma’s medical marijuana legal guidelines
Can’t get a prescription for marijuana
Can’t use marijuana within the office or be impaired on the job
Can’t transport marijuana throughout state traces
Cannot get a health care provider’s suggestion inside a dispensary
Cannot strive the product whereas purchasing
Can’t smoke marijuana the place tobacco additionally prohibited
Cannot give marijuana away
Can’t drive whereas impaired on marijuana
Can’t possess an extreme quantity of marijuana
Cannot smoke the place you are informed to not
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