A bill that would have placed new restrictions on marijuana edibles has died in the Oregon legislature.
Under SB 1548, cannabis companies would have had to individually wrap every piece of a THC-containing edible, and the potency of those doses would be capped at 10 mg.
Supporters argued this change would stop some children from accidentally ingesting a large amount of THC and ending up in the hospital.
Currently in Oregon, a single candy can be infused with up to 100 mg. Companies can also sell multiple smaller doses in the same resealable package.
“Because these look like things that kids would eat, kids who get to these are eating the entire package and getting very, very sick,” said Lane County Behavioral Health Medical Director David Rettew. “The idea is that by having individual packaging, you at least slow down the process.”
The new rules would have been similar to packaging requirements already used in Washington.
However, industry leaders in Oregon pushed back.
They argued many local businesses couldn’t afford the equipment needed to create this type of packaging.
Tucker Holland, the co-founder of Entourage Cannabis in Eugene, recently opened a facility to make edibles. He plans to produce thousands of units a day.
Holland said SB 1548 would have required him to go out and buy a $2 million machine to automate the wrapping process.
“We don't have that capital. That wasn't budgeted in our build out for this new facility that we had, and so that puts this investment at risk,” said Holland.
The bill made it through the Oregon Senate. But after a public hearing on Wednesday, the House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade chose not to advance it further.
Committee Chair Daniel Nyugen, a Democrat representing Portland and Lake Oswego, said at the hearing that it was difficult to balance child safety and cannabis businesses’ needs.
“I look forward to engaging with all the stakeholders--with the governor and industry, health and public safety stakeholders--to bring a cannabis package in the 2027 session that celebrates both our first 10 years of licensed, regulated recreational cannabis, and also paves the way for safe, secure and successful growth for decades to come,” said Nyugen.
Following the bill’s demise, Holland told KLCC it had highlighted concerns for child safety. He said industry leaders are already working on a public education campaign.
“That hopefully would help parents and adults understand that these products need to be kept out of reach of children, they're not safe for children, and these are safe ways in which you can store these products,” said Holland. “I think that will go a long way into helping reduce these poison center calls and hospital visits.”
Meanwhile, Rettew accused the cannabis industry of resisting common-sense regulations and behaving like the tobacco industry. He said he was disappointed by the legislature's move.
“I'm increasingly frustrated with our elected officials when it's demonstrated that the industry is not going to regulate itself. We need to do this for them,” said Rettew. “And actions like this make it look like they're more interested in protecting this industry than protecting the safety of children.”
Rettew told KLCC he hopes this bill returns, with more regulations on the industry, during a longer legislative session.
