A first-of-its-kind undercover dispensary inspection conducted by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission found strict ID checking and security from all 20 pot shops it targeted.
According to Oregon's KTVZ News, the OLCC, the state-run agency responsible for regulating alcohol and cannabis, sent volunteers under the age of 21 to licensed recreational marijuana retailers across central Oregon, where each and every minor was rejected at the door.
Oregon regulators were more than pleased with the 100% compliance rate, and are hopeful that the initial results represent a state-wide ethos of playing by the rules.
"That our licensed retailers in central Oregon scored 100 percent on refusal to sell marijuana to a minor is a sign that this segment of our regulated industry understands the importance of compliance," Steve Marks, Executive Director of the OLCC, told KTVZ. "As we continue these checks, I hope that this result will be reflected across the state."
If dispensaries are caught selling cannabis products to minors, they face a license suspension of 10-30 days and a fine of $1,650, with subsequent negligent sales punished with longer suspensions, further fines, and eventually the total rejection of their license.
Even if a cannabis customer is over the age of 21, a failure to properly check IDs before a sale carries a seven-day license suspension and fine of $1,100 or more. To make dispensary security's job a little easier, all Oregon driver's licenses have a clearly visible red outline demarking underrage residents.
"This is part of our stepped up compliance and enforcement activity," Marks said. "We're working to make sure that all segments of our regulated market are living up to the requirements of their license, and the expectations Oregonians have that they will act responsibly and follow the law."
According to the OLCC, every Oregon dispensary will be subject to a similar sales protocol inspection at least once a year.
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