5 December 2016
The way things aren’t progressing we’d suggest there are court cases along the way in 2017 as business owners at both ends of the supply chain say enough is enough.
For background you these pieces are good reference points
Testing, supply issues ‘could be death knell’ for Oregon MJ market
http://mjbizdaily.com/testing-supply-issues-could-be-death-knell-for-oregon-mj-market/
Strict marijuana testing standards and a dearth of labs have created a supply shortage for Oregon’s marijuana businesses, resulting in half-empty shelves, plunging revenue and possible layoffs. Many businesses are even closing.
“This could be a death knell for Oregon’s cannabis industry,” economist Beau Whitney surmised.
The supply crunch has affected retail availability of both recreational and medical marijuana, including flower and edibles. It comes on the heels of more stringent cannabis testing standards that took effect Oct. 1. Meanwhile, only a handful of labs have been accredited for testing, and many of the tested products have failed.
Whitney – founder of Whitney Economics, a cannabis-centric research and consulting firm in Portland – believes the overall situation has breathed new life into the black market, as growers who have failed tests seek new avenues to unload product and consumers who can’t find product seek new places to buy it.
Oregon eases cannabis testing rules, but is it enough?
Oregon regulators have eased marijuana testing rules that retailers and other industry professionals say held up supply, forced prices upward and drove some businesses to close.
But some industry professionals say the revised rules don’t address the main problem areas.
Among the changes outlined Friday in two pages of revised rules – which are temporary and valid through May 30, 2017 – the Oregon Health Authority said it would permit cannabis businesses to have larger and more varied sample sizes tested at one time, the Bend Bulletin reported. The OHA, which oversees marijuana analysis, made the changes in hopes of lowering testing time and costs.
