Marijuana Legalization 2016: In Oregon, Edibles, Extracts Sales For Recreational Use To Be Allowed

While 2016 has been a wild year on the national stage, it’s about to get a lot more laid back in Oregon. The state’s Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill Tuesday that would allow anyone 21 and older to purchase cannabis edibles, extracts and oils from medical-marijuana dispensaries, the Oregonian reported.

The measure is part of Senate Bill 1511, which also allows recreational weed stores to sell tax-free medical marijuana to those who have been prescribed the drug. The legislation is the latest in a set of marijuana bills this year aimed at finalizing the state’s rollout of recreational marijuana.

Before recreational sales can begin under the new law, the Oregon Health Authority said this week it needs to draft rules for how stores can sell edibles and extracts to customers. The journey for products like pot brownies and oils, which are often sold as cartridges loaded into vaporizer pens, has been a long one. After Oregon legalized recreational marijuana in 2014, state lawmakers voted to push back licensing for edible and extract sales.

Stores began selling recreational pot last October — but only as flowers, young plants and seeds. Edibles, extracts and other marijuana products could be sold to medical patients, but they have been prohibited for recreational users.

The state has said it wanted to develop the appropriate framework and safety guidelines for the strength and labeling of edibles, pointing to the rise of the products in Colorado as a cautionary example, according to the Willamette Week. By the end of 2016, recreational marijuana will be overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which will then be in charge of production, processing and sale regulations.

For now, the new law allows dispensaries to sell a single low-dose unit of an edible product and the equivalent of a vaporizer pen with a marijuana extract to people ages 21 and over, the Oregonian reported. Stores can also sell non-psychoactive cannabis products intended for use on hair or skin.