Oregon Medical Marijuana Program: 85 Percent of Growers Not in Compliance
A total of 1,618 of 1,903 growers who fall under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Online System rule did not report their inventory and transfers for February 2019, according to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program.
The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program recently issued a warning to the hundreds of cannabis growers who are compliance with inventory reporting requirements, saying they must follow the rules or face stiff penalties. An OMMP bulletin reminded medical growers at grow sites required to use the Oregon Medical Marijuana Online System (OMMOS) that they must report their on-site cannabis inventory and any product transfers. Growers are required to log into OMMOS to report they had no inventory or product transfers during the month.
A total of 1,618 of 1,903 growers who fall under the OMMOS rule did not report their inventory and transfers for February 2019, according to the agency.
"Reporting to OMMOS is crucial in that it requires growers to report cannabis products going into or out of their site, or remaining on site, which helps to prevent diversion to the black market," said Megan Lockwood, the agency's manager. She said a recent Oregon Secretary of State audit that identified administrative shortcomings at the OMMP listed OMMOS tracking enforcement as an area the program needed to address to reduce diversion.
Oregon Administrative Rules 333-008-0033(3) and 333-008-0630 state that a grower must report the previous month's transfers and on-site inventory by the 10th day of each month, and those required to report must create an online account in OMMOS to submit reports. OMMOS reporting has been a requirement since July 2016.
The non-compliant growers will receive warning letters later this month, allowing them time to come into compliance, before notices of civil penalty are issued in May, according to the agency, which reported that a grower that fails to come into compliance will receive a civil penalty of at least $200.
Growers at grow sites with two or fewer patients must report monthly to the OMMP using OMMOS if they:
- Are the designated grower for an OMMP patient other than themselves.
- Are a patient growing for themselves at their own residence and they are transferring marijuana items to a medical processor or dispensary.
- Are a patient growing for themselves at a grow site address that is not their residence.
The state reporting rules do not apply to patients growing only for themselves at their residence, unless they are transferring useable marijuana to a registered processing site or dispensary.