A new report by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) entitled Medical Marijuana Access in the United States: A Patient-Focused Analysis of the Patchwork of State Laws’, grades states based on how well their medical cannabis program meets the needs of patients.. According to the report, Oregon possesses one of the strongest medical cannabis programs in the nation, receiving a “B” grade for the strength of its access to cannabis as medicine and overall patient rights.
The report states that although Oregon maintains an excellent medical cannabis access program, it has room for improvement in several areas including discrimination protections for patients in the areas of employment, housing, and parental rights, and essential product safety guidelines to protect patients.
“While we applaud Oregon for its impressive medical cannabis access, the state would be wise to prioritize the needs of patients by avoiding temptation to merge the medical program with the state’s recently adopted recreational program,” said Steph Sherer, Executive Director of ASA. “Oregon could strengthen its medical cannabis program greatly by including civil discrimination protections for patients in the areas of employment, housing, and parental rights. Oregon must also add essential product safety components to their medical cannabis guidelines such as recall and adverse event protocols if it wants to serve the best interests of its patients.”
The report notes “In August 2013, HB 3460 established regulations for state-licensed medical cannabis facilities. In March 2014, SB 1531 granted cities and counties the right to pass moratoriums on the opening of medical marijuana facilities until May 1, 2015. There are currently over 300 state licensed dispensaries serving patients. In 2016, the legislature passed HB 1404 allowing out-of-state ownership/investment in medical cannabis businesses and SB 1524 reduces paperwork requirements for veterans.”
To schedule an interview with ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer or learn more about the ‘Medical Marijuana Access in the United States: A Patient-Focused Analysis of the Patchwork of State Laws’ report please contact Yasmina Dardari at 407-922-8149 or [email protected].
