August 2018

Oregon Regulators’ plan to observe and inspect the coming out- door cannabis harvest will inconvenience many growers, but some industry watchers conclude it shouldn’t be much of an added financial burden. The federal government – the U.S. attorney for Oregon, in particular – is scrutinizing the state’s MJ industry due to overproduction and potential diversion concerns. Outdoor growers must notify the Ore- gon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), which regulates the state’s licensed cannabis market, before harvest so it can monitor crop gathering. Requiring outdoor cultivators to notify authorities about their harvest schedule is an unusual move by state regulators and not common in the cannabis industry. Oklahoma Voters approved an open-market medical marijuana program in Oklahoma, meaning there are no caps on the number of business licenses and doctors can rec- ommend MMJ for any patient ailment. Voters supported the measure by a double-digit margin despite a strong, last-minute opposition effort by a coalition that included the Oklahoma State Medical Association, religious lead- ers, law enforcement agencies and business groups. Marijuana Business Daily projected that such an unre- stricted MMJ market could generate $100 million-$150 million in annual sales several years after the launch. However, the statutory measure can be changed by the Oklahoma Legislature.