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The Oregon Liquor Control Commission conducted its first-ever round of decoy operations by sending minors to cannabis retailers in Portland, Eugene, Salem and other parts of the state in December. The results were mixed.
Most Oregon cities' compliance with Measure 91, which mandates that cannabis not be sold to minors, was over 70%.
In central Oregon, for instance, marijuana inspectors visited five licensed marijuana retailers, and none failed a check for prohibiting sales to a minor volunteer.
Portland-area shops did not do as well. In the city, marijuana inspectors visited seven licensed marijuana retailers and four failed a check for prohibiting sales to a minor volunteer, for a compliance rate of 43%.
“These overall results are unacceptable,” OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks said. “Oregonians who voted for legalizing recreational marijuana implicitly told the cannabis industry to abide by public safety laws. Clearly they’re not, and we need to continue this type of enforcement activity.”
During the sales checks, a minor volunteer attempts to enter a licensed marijuana retailer and/or purchase marijuana products from a licensed business to see if staff are checking IDs correctly and refusing entry to anyone under 21.
Commission inspectors supervise the minor volunteers. The volunteers carry their own legal ID that identifies them as under 21 and do not disguise their age or lie to encourage the sale of marijuana.
“This is a wake-up call to our licensed retailers," Marks said. "Oregonians have entrusted you with a responsibility that includes not selling marijuana to minors. By doing so you tarnish the cannabis industry and put your business in jeopardy."
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