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A new state law is now in effect requiring medical marijuana dispensaries to prepackage their product in sealed bags instead of “deli-style” in a jar where customers could see and smell the product before buying it.
The law went into effect this past Sunday.
Lawmakers said its purpose is to improve the safety and handling of the product to ensure the hundreds of thousands of patients in our state know the source of their medical marijuana.
Both dispensaries and marijuana grow operations are affected by this new law.
FOX23 spoke with Savannah Evans, General Manager at Grasshopper Dispensary and a manager at a marijuana grow operation.
After the law went into effect this past Sunday both dispensaries and marijuana grow operations are worried not only about their customers’ experience but the financial burden this will cause with packing and handling.
“The store, the consumer, the grower,” Evans said. “The stores buying stuff, I think that’s really going to be kind of harsh. It’ll be the industry’s own little tariff.”
Evans thinks everyone involved will feel a burden with a state prepackaging mandate going into effect.
On June 1, the state issued a law to only allow growers and dispensaries prepackaged marijuana from 0.5 grams to three ounces.
Taylor Elias, Manager at Heartland Farms in Bixby, said this new law will affect his staff’s work flow and increase expenses to send their product to dispensaries across the state.
“The extra cost of added packaging and labeling, stickers and the labor it takes to weigh out everything and seal it everything, it has definitely cost us more money in getting this product packaged,” he said.
Before the law went into effect, it would take Elias’ staff at least a week or less to harvest their product. Now, it’s adding more time.
“Before this all went into effect, we could package and harvest in about a week, maybe a little less,” he said. “Now, it takes at least two weeks to get everything weighed up and packaged individually now.”
At Grasshopper Dispensary, Evans said the new law can affect their reward system, but not by much.
“Not that more expensive, just because we are self-sustained,” she said. “In the store, it’ll be nice. It’ll maybe go up by like a couple of dollars, but I was told we’re trying to keep it neutral to where we’re at right now, which people are already happy with that pricing.”
That may not be the same story for other dispensaries, so you should check prices and ask questions.
“Don’t feel rushed into buying something, take your time,” Evans said. “If you’re unsure about it, you don’t have as much freedom anymore. It’s hard to see what you’re getting yourself into, which I feel like is unfair to the consumer.”
Both Heartland Farms and Grasshopper Dispensary told FOX23 it’s a tough situation that everyone involved is facing, but they’re going to move forward and adjust to the changes as best as they can.
Even though the law is now in effect, dispensaries that still have the “deli-style” medical marijuana in stock can sell it until it runs out. As long as the dispensary got that style of medical marijuana in stock before this past Sunday.
”}]] A new law is now in effect requiring medical marijuana dispensaries to prepackage their product in sealed bags instead of “deli-style” in a jar where customers could see and smell the product before buying it. Read More
