Rally for Regulation

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) issued a news release on Dec. 1, 2017, highlighting the launch of a new public awareness video campaign, which is called Go Legal! Over a dozen Oregon cannabis business owners have teamed up with the OLCC to film the inside scoop on their businesses and how they function within the legal regulated cannabis market. The goal of the campaign is to demonstrate how the regulated recreational industry is safe for consumers and the public, as well as being financially beneficial for local business owners.

All of the businesses that participated in the filming of the video campaign have been licensed by the OLCC to either produce, process, test or sell recreational cannabis. The more businesses that participate in the regulated legal industry, the more tax revenue is generated for the state and will go toward funding the OLCC.

“Since 2016, we’ve been working in partnership with this business community to build a strong and fair regulatory framework, and to provide information and guidance that supports their compliant participation in it.”

The Go Legal! video campaign was released after recent independent survey results revealed that the OLCC may be overwhelmed with the enormous task of regulating Oregon’s legal cannabis industry. The agency has had to deal with constant rule changes from the state, as well as record breaking growth in terms of new cannabis businesses and record sales. The office of Oregon’s Secretary of State announced its plans last month to perform the first audit of Oregon’s legal cannabis system, starting with evaluating how the OLCC has been regulating the industry. The OLCC had also announced that it was expanding its departments and hiring new employees, using funding from the recent allocation of cannabis tax revenue.

Footage in the videos illustrates the day-to-day operations of each type of cannabis business, from cultivation sites, to testing laboratories, to dispensaries—every aspect of the industry is highlighted. And although each business owner has totally different responsibilities, their sentiment is the same: Their businesses benefit from being a part of the regulated industry. “This is a very modern and scientific industry, one that values community and transparency,” said Steve Marks, OLCC executive director. “We hope that prospective cannabis business owners will appreciate hearing directly from their peers about the importance of operating within the regulated market. And we hope the public will better understand the industry and embrace the regulatory structure we’ve developed that supports public safety, the industry and consumers.”

The Go Legal! video series also highlights how working within the regulated industry can help Oregon and the needs we have within the state. The Oregon businesses shown in the video series includes producers, processors, wholesalers and laboratory testing facilities. There are also a handful of participating dispensaries, including LA Mota in Portland, Cannabliss & Co. in Eugene and Plantae Health in Bend.

“Since 2016, we’ve been working in partnership with this business community to build a strong and fair regulatory framework, and to provide information and guidance that supports their compliant participation in it,” OLCC spokesman Mark Pettinger told CULTURE. “So we were pleased to hear our licensees connect the dots between how rules governing this industry are indeed working to improve public safety, curb illegal activity on the ground, and contribute to their communities and Oregon’s economy.”

The OLCC hopes that other prospective cannabis business owners will be encouraged to join the regulated system and become licensed through the state. Through public awareness they hope to promote a sense of security for those not only in the cannabis industry, but Oregonians in general.

The Go Legal! video series can be found at www.golegaloregon.com/meet-the-licensees.