At the moment, medical marijuana is legal in a total of 22 U.S. states
and Washington, DC. However, Oregon still holds the distinction of being the
first state that decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis. In
1998, the state passed Measure 67 that allowed patients to possess, cultivate,
and use medical marijuana, and since then, the industry has flourished.
However, Senate Bill 1531 being signed into law on March 19, 2014 is
certainly a game changer. SB 1531 allows local governments to impose certain
regulations and restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries. To ensure that
these operating businesses are compliant to said directives, state regulators
make unannounced visits to the establishments. This way, a thorough inspection
and evaluation can be made.
Recently, one medical cannabis dispensary in Portland was discovered to
have committed violations like having unlocked doors or allowing the use of the
substance within the premises itself, and was thus ordered closed. However,
there is no final word yet on whether the dispensary’s license to operate will
be revoked.
As such, those planning to operate medical cannabis dispensaries here
are recommended to rely on consulting services to ensure that their
establishments comply with local laws. Consulting firms will guide these future
owners and operators in properly controlling inventory and accurately documenting
transactions. Compliance to regulations and restrictions is key to their
success.
