Oregon Cannabis Growers Get 'Bump-up' for Medical Canopy

Licensed recreational cannabis growers in Oregon were given a “medical bump-up” by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission Friday when administrators approved new rules allowing OLCC licensed recreational growers to begin producing cannabis specifically for Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) cardholders.

According to the OLCC, the bump-up rules, which take effect May 1, allow recreational growers to produce additional canopy beyond what is allowed in their OLCC license when those growers enter into agreements with OMMP patients –– an arrangement that will be still be monitored by the OLCC and Cannabis Tracking System.

“This will be the first medically grown marijuana in Oregon under regulations that meet the compliance guidelines of the federal Cole Memo,” Marvin Revoal, Acting Chair of the OLCC, said in a statement. “It’s important that we keep legally produced marijuana from being diverted to the illegal market, and again Oregon’s leadership shows that both medical and recreational marijuana can be regulated together.”

The new rules also give cardholders the option to allow their chosen producer to transfer excess cannabis –– grown through the bump-up –– to other cardholders and caregivers. Additionally, producers can now sell up to 25 percent of the excess cannabis to Oregon Health Authority-regulated OMMP dispensaries and cannabis processors, OLCC officials said.

Medical cannabis sales account for roughly 14 percent of what is sold through OLCC licensed recreational facilities.

The new bump-up rule is a response to Commissioner Pamela Witherspoon’s request for the commission to adopt an exception process for patients who felt the three-pound limit would create a medical cannabis shortage.

“This approach strikes a balance in that it will cover the need of the majority of OMMP cardholders,” said Steven Marks, OLCC executive director. “At the same time the OLCC wants to help patients who are seriously ill be able to obtain whatever amount of cannabis-derived medicine they need to treat their illnesses and help them maintain or improve their quality of life.”

OLCC officials will track the how the new bump-up canopy rules affect the producers and OMMP cardholders who participate in the program.

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