New Oregon rules: Pot ‘medibles’ off the table?

Lollipops, gummies, and truffles — Oregon is making it illegal to sell some of these items at medical marijuana dispensaries.

House Bill 1531 was signed into law on Wednesday by Governor John Kitzhaber. It says marijuana infused products must be in child resistant safety packaging and that packing must not be attractive to minors.

As a result, there’s new draft rules from the Oregon Health Authority, which oversees the medical marijuana dispensary program.

Cannabend, a medical marijuana dispensary in Bend, offers marijuana-infused sweets, better known as edibles or “medibles.”

“A lot of husbands will come in and get them for their wives who are going through cancer I’ve noticed,” Cannabend co-owner Lizetta Coppinger said Friday.

Their homemade truffles are a sweeter alternative then smoking marijuana.

“People really enjoy them we have a variety of truffles,” said Cannabend’s other co-owner, Lyle Coppinger.

But new state laws now add some restrictions.

“We actually have some packing that is heat-sealed, and so it is child-resistant,” Bloom Well owner Jeremy Kwit said.

Even with child warning labels on medical marijuana infused products like lollipops lawmakers are still concerned it could attract children.

“We want to keep marijuana out of the hands of kids and children,” said state Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, who sponsored House Bill 1531. “We’ve seen from the Colorado experience, and from the Washington experience so far, that there have been issues with that.”

Marijuana dispensary owners agree.

“I have two young children, and it is very important to me that they don’t have any access to any of the medibles, or even topical creams,” Lizette said.

They just hope the state won’t take these edible products completely out of their stores.

“The choice of cannabis that they get, whether that’s in a smoked form, or in a concentrated form, or in an edible form, should be a decision that’s up to the patient, or the patients and their doctor,” Kwit said. “It shouldn’t be up to a concerned group of legislators.”

Marijuana dispensary owners say medical marijuana card holders need to take responsibility as well.

“It’s the responsibility of the parent to keep all medication out of reach children and pets,” Lyle said.

A public comment period on the draft rules ends on Monday.

If you would like to voice your opinion, go to mmj.oregon.gov.