Tuesday evening in the Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane County Fair Grounds, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission hosted approximately 500 people to discuss the implementation of Measure 91.
Passed in November of 2014, Measure 91 legalizes the recreational use of marijuana for those over 21.
This Marijuana Listening Session was the fourth of twelve the OLCC will hold through March of this year. Two of the five OLCC commissioners presided over the event. Commissioner Michael E. Harper and Commission Chair Robert Patridge.
OLCC commisoners are volunteers. Patridge is District Attorney for Klamath County. Patridge said he didn’t support Measure 91 when it was on the ballot, but now it has passed Patridge says he “feels an obligation,” to see it through.
The meeting gathered public opinion on a variety of issues.
Many thought that the potency of cannabis should be tested before sale, though there was some discrepancy over how marijuana would be tested and the meaning of potency.
Many voiced concern over the possibility of outside corporations coming in from out of state and pushing out smaller, local grow operations. The general consensus from the people gathered was that they wanted people seeking licenses to be Oregon residents.
A hot button issue at the session was children, in regards to wether or not edibles that appeal to children should be produced, or if packaging on marijuana items should be child proof.
The OLCC also brought up the possibility of requiring workers in contact with marijuana needing licenses, like people working with alcohol are currently required to have.