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Robrites
That brings back memories ancient and painful...
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frostqueen
Active member
Does your Bro work for the National Weather Service?
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Robrites
Marijuana labs prepping for regulation and oversight; no lab licenses issued yet
Marijuana labs prepping for regulation and oversight; no lab licenses issued yet
Starting Oct. 1, new products headed to marijuana dispensary shelves will have to undergo a battery of tests that assess potency and look for biological contaminants such as E. coli, residual solvents from the extraction process used to make oil, and dozens of pesticides.
The policy shift transforms Oregon's marijuana labs from an unregulated cottage industry into a central part of the state's regulated market. Yet while hundreds of prospective marijuana producers have flooded the Oregon Liquor Control Commission with applications for licenses, only eight testing labs have applied so far. None has received a license yet.
That trickle of applications worries state officials who hope to license at least three labs by late summer. Without enough labs to test a large volume of samples, growers risk not getting their products tested and onto the market.
"No product will flow through retail without having labs in the process to do the testing," said Steven Marks, executive director of the liquor commission.
Officials don't know exactly how many samples will need to be processed weekly to keep stores stocked. Already the state has issued more than 130 producer licenses, most of them to large-scale operations. The liquor commission's own analysis estimates that labs will test about 2,500 samples each month to meet demand, figures based on the experience in Colorado and Washington.
Marks said licensed marijuana growers who got an early start on production may see delays getting their goods into stores if labs aren't ready.
"The problem with our early growers is if there is no lab capacity," said Marks, "they will be landlocked with their product."
States with regulated marijuana markets have grappled with how to deal with testing. Connecticut, Nevada and Washington require routine pesticide screening for medical marijuana. Currently, Colorado does not require regular pesticide testing for cannabis.
Under Oregon's new rules, labs must meet the same stringent standards as the environmental laboratories that test water and soil. They have to undergo a state accreditation process and obtain a license from the liquor commission. For labs, the requirements mean buying additional equipment and hiring experienced staff.
Part of the accreditation program, which is overseen by three state agencies, involves running blind tests on pesticide-spiked samples provided by an outside company. Those tests help confirm that a lab's equipment can detect certain chemicals. Labs have to run the tests on all 59 pesticides on the state's list. Similar tests are required for solvents and potency before labs can be accredited.
Shannon Swantek, a compliance specialist with the division that accredits labs, said she's received 34 partial applications from labs and three complete ones. She estimates 10 to 15 labs will be accredited by Oct. 1. Those labs must then undergo a separate licensing process through the liquor commission before they can begin testing for the new market.
Alex Hoggan, who has spent about $750,000 to equip his Milwaukie lab, Chemhistory, said he and his employees are focused on accreditation. He has not yet applied for a state license.
"We think we can do it, but it's going to be right to the edge," Hoggan said.
Read More
Marijuana labs prepping for regulation and oversight; no lab licenses issued yet
Starting Oct. 1, new products headed to marijuana dispensary shelves will have to undergo a battery of tests that assess potency and look for biological contaminants such as E. coli, residual solvents from the extraction process used to make oil, and dozens of pesticides.
The policy shift transforms Oregon's marijuana labs from an unregulated cottage industry into a central part of the state's regulated market. Yet while hundreds of prospective marijuana producers have flooded the Oregon Liquor Control Commission with applications for licenses, only eight testing labs have applied so far. None has received a license yet.
That trickle of applications worries state officials who hope to license at least three labs by late summer. Without enough labs to test a large volume of samples, growers risk not getting their products tested and onto the market.
"No product will flow through retail without having labs in the process to do the testing," said Steven Marks, executive director of the liquor commission.
Officials don't know exactly how many samples will need to be processed weekly to keep stores stocked. Already the state has issued more than 130 producer licenses, most of them to large-scale operations. The liquor commission's own analysis estimates that labs will test about 2,500 samples each month to meet demand, figures based on the experience in Colorado and Washington.
Marks said licensed marijuana growers who got an early start on production may see delays getting their goods into stores if labs aren't ready.
"The problem with our early growers is if there is no lab capacity," said Marks, "they will be landlocked with their product."
States with regulated marijuana markets have grappled with how to deal with testing. Connecticut, Nevada and Washington require routine pesticide screening for medical marijuana. Currently, Colorado does not require regular pesticide testing for cannabis.
Under Oregon's new rules, labs must meet the same stringent standards as the environmental laboratories that test water and soil. They have to undergo a state accreditation process and obtain a license from the liquor commission. For labs, the requirements mean buying additional equipment and hiring experienced staff.
Part of the accreditation program, which is overseen by three state agencies, involves running blind tests on pesticide-spiked samples provided by an outside company. Those tests help confirm that a lab's equipment can detect certain chemicals. Labs have to run the tests on all 59 pesticides on the state's list. Similar tests are required for solvents and potency before labs can be accredited.
Shannon Swantek, a compliance specialist with the division that accredits labs, said she's received 34 partial applications from labs and three complete ones. She estimates 10 to 15 labs will be accredited by Oct. 1. Those labs must then undergo a separate licensing process through the liquor commission before they can begin testing for the new market.
Alex Hoggan, who has spent about $750,000 to equip his Milwaukie lab, Chemhistory, said he and his employees are focused on accreditation. He has not yet applied for a state license.
"We think we can do it, but it's going to be right to the edge," Hoggan said.
Read More
Aota1
Member
I'm interested to see how things go the next 6 months as olcc takes over. I get flower for the shop from a couple guys that are just ommp patients essentially and live in rural residential zones. Under the new rules they won't be able to get licensed to sell me their herb anymore. There's talk of case by case on rural residential grows but for now they are out.
Can a grower on Ag Land in a banned county sell excess medical to your dispensary? Seems that med growers will only be able to sell to med dispensaries. It's like the State said "Thanks for all the help getting it off the ground. Now all you hippies can get F##d. We'll take it from here."
Aota1
Member
Once we all become full rec which is January I think, no. Growers will have to be licensed. There's a lot of distributors getting licensed and i don't know how they work in regards to their supply.
Aota1
Member
I agree that it's nonsense. There's a lot of holes in the rules and just plain unfair to the small grower stuff. I came here less than a year ago from being a 215 grower for 12 years. Oregon is evolved in a lot of ways but this program is full of moving parts and not favoring the people that have always been here doing it.
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Robrites
Rolando Mota
Active member
Love that shirt Robrites!
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Robrites
Sockeye, a Portland ad company, takes on marijuana client
Sockeye, a Portland ad company, takes on marijuana client
After working quietly for three years with a marijuana company, a well known ad firm in Portland came out Friday with its first video advertising campaign.
It features a cannabis-infused drink, but the actors could just as well be drinking beer.
The ad, which features a casual backyard party where people sip the marijuana-infused soda, underscores how much cannabis has merged into mainstream culture, at least in parts of the Pacific Northwest.
At first, Andy Fraser, Sockeye CEO, was cautious about working with the marijuana market. After all, the company's high-profile accounts include Oregon Health & Science University, the Portland Children's Museum and the University of Oregon. Sockeye has also done work for The Oregonian/OregonLive.
"We were raised with, 'This is wrong,' and it's hard to shed that predisposition," he said.
But when his friend Adam Stites, an entrepreneur with experience in e-commerce, came to him with an idea for the marijuana edibles market, Fraser was intrigued.
"There is no question there was some hesitation," he said. "It's a polarizing subject matter, but we have just taken the approach that here is a great entrepreneur making a great product and doing it really well."
Fraser said Sockeye helped Stites research the market to figure out which new product might appeal to consumers. Marijuana consumers already have plenty of cookie and candies to choose from so Sockeye and Stites came up with the idea for a sparkling soda.
The name of the drink: Legal.
The product launched in Washington's recreational marijuana market in 2014 and is now available to consumers 21 and older in Oregon.
With help from Portland filmmaker James Westby, Sockeye produced a video for Legal featuring a scene that could have unfolded in any Portland backyard. A band, with Westby as frontman, plays on a patio for a dozen or so friends who appear to be unwinding after the work week.
The catchy jingle highlights a new type of soda, whose retro label and stubby brown bottle could easily be mistaken for the latest kombucha or craft beer. The ad doesn't feature pot leaves, green crosses or bikini-clad women, some of the more common images associated with marijuana.
read More
[YOUTUBEIF]8KxMkOn2kqI[/YOUTUBEIF]
Sockeye, a Portland ad company, takes on marijuana client
After working quietly for three years with a marijuana company, a well known ad firm in Portland came out Friday with its first video advertising campaign.
It features a cannabis-infused drink, but the actors could just as well be drinking beer.
The ad, which features a casual backyard party where people sip the marijuana-infused soda, underscores how much cannabis has merged into mainstream culture, at least in parts of the Pacific Northwest.
At first, Andy Fraser, Sockeye CEO, was cautious about working with the marijuana market. After all, the company's high-profile accounts include Oregon Health & Science University, the Portland Children's Museum and the University of Oregon. Sockeye has also done work for The Oregonian/OregonLive.
"We were raised with, 'This is wrong,' and it's hard to shed that predisposition," he said.
But when his friend Adam Stites, an entrepreneur with experience in e-commerce, came to him with an idea for the marijuana edibles market, Fraser was intrigued.
"There is no question there was some hesitation," he said. "It's a polarizing subject matter, but we have just taken the approach that here is a great entrepreneur making a great product and doing it really well."
Fraser said Sockeye helped Stites research the market to figure out which new product might appeal to consumers. Marijuana consumers already have plenty of cookie and candies to choose from so Sockeye and Stites came up with the idea for a sparkling soda.
The name of the drink: Legal.
The product launched in Washington's recreational marijuana market in 2014 and is now available to consumers 21 and older in Oregon.
With help from Portland filmmaker James Westby, Sockeye produced a video for Legal featuring a scene that could have unfolded in any Portland backyard. A band, with Westby as frontman, plays on a patio for a dozen or so friends who appear to be unwinding after the work week.
The catchy jingle highlights a new type of soda, whose retro label and stubby brown bottle could easily be mistaken for the latest kombucha or craft beer. The ad doesn't feature pot leaves, green crosses or bikini-clad women, some of the more common images associated with marijuana.
read More
[YOUTUBEIF]8KxMkOn2kqI[/YOUTUBEIF]
grassyknoll
Member
"Legal" is a lame name for their product. You'd think one of the dudes promoting this would wake up to that fact.
PDX Dopesmoker
Active member
Back when they were doing the 530mg drinks that was one of the best bhang for the buck edibles for sale in most shops. I wonder how they got the decarbed BHO suspended in the liquid, seems like a trick worth learning.
Anyway about the coming death of medical cannabis in Oregon, once the official OLCC sanctioned "recreational" shops open up and rec dispensaries are allowed to sell to OMMP card holders, but not allowed to buy from OMMP sanctioned growers, that seems like its going to make it unreasonably difficult for medical growers to work as medical growers in any capacity other than as a hobbyist unless they have some other source of income as well. Do you think I'm misinterpreting the law or do you think things will work out differently?
Very true words PDX. That does seem to be the plan. The Patients will suffer due to this.
Did you see the new Pesticide ban update OLLC? I wonder how many Rec Ops have already used some of those and now can't pass test? Mid Season at that.
In other news I saw Montana had dropped their card fee to $5. Due to a surplus of funds for the program. There was a time when OMMP had a surplus. Then it got tossed in the General Fund.
They should sweeten the deal somehow for the Med members, that program made a lot of money for the State. Worth mentioning is most of the money was spent here. Not sent back to investors out of State. Money spent here provides tax money for the State on local goods and services sold . If an out of state investor buys a new house in the Hamptons, OR wouldn't make a dime. Money made from Agriculture and Mining is real wealth. The Service industry is just parasitic to that.
Did you see the new Pesticide ban update OLLC? I wonder how many Rec Ops have already used some of those and now can't pass test? Mid Season at that.
In other news I saw Montana had dropped their card fee to $5. Due to a surplus of funds for the program. There was a time when OMMP had a surplus. Then it got tossed in the General Fund.
They should sweeten the deal somehow for the Med members, that program made a lot of money for the State. Worth mentioning is most of the money was spent here. Not sent back to investors out of State. Money spent here provides tax money for the State on local goods and services sold . If an out of state investor buys a new house in the Hamptons, OR wouldn't make a dime. Money made from Agriculture and Mining is real wealth. The Service industry is just parasitic to that.
Aota1
Member
I think you've got it. I just picked up a small batch of this Blueberry Pomegranate strain from a small medical grower. It's absolutely some of the best, most unique herb we have but probably won't be able to get it next round because the grower is not going to get a rev producer license. She grows at home. A damn shame.
Aota1
Member
I think a lot of growers who have been selling to shops for a while are doing two things. Some are petitioning the olcc and state representatives to allow a case by case ruling on licensing and hoping their 5 acre or similar type rural residential zoning status will be allowed. Others are looking at buying or renting a spot located in proper zoning. People like the 50+ Blueberry Pomegranate grower lady, who works as an accountant by day, will just sell excess to friends from now on.
I knew things were screwed as soon as the OLCC got involved.
Then when residency requirements were lifted for rec and adopted for medical it was the most obvious act of greed.
IE if you work in a lumber mill in Idaho and want to move your family to Oregon so you can grow medical cannabis for your epileptic child, and keep a decent paying job at a mill...you can't because you don't have enough years of residence. Even if you can grow four plants it doesn't protect you legally for growing medicine for your child..
However if your a rich person from out of state you can come in and participate in a new law you didn't even vote for...
Then when residency requirements were lifted for rec and adopted for medical it was the most obvious act of greed.
IE if you work in a lumber mill in Idaho and want to move your family to Oregon so you can grow medical cannabis for your epileptic child, and keep a decent paying job at a mill...you can't because you don't have enough years of residence. Even if you can grow four plants it doesn't protect you legally for growing medicine for your child..
However if your a rich person from out of state you can come in and participate in a new law you didn't even vote for...
Correct. The main thing there is that it allows them to buy alot of it without limits. That's why families with medical issues are going to med/rec states, because other states are terrible... I don't like how they are doing medical myself. We'll have to see how rec goes next year. Best of luck to all and be safe.
