Contact: Madeline Martinez FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 503-313-9929 Monday, August 23, 2010
Email: [email protected]
OREGON NORML ANNOUNCES FORMAL ENDORSEMENT OF MEASURE 74
(THE OREGON REGULATED MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUPPLY SYSTEM ACT)
Measure 74’s marijuana law reforms will create system more than able to meet patient marijuana access needs while driving prices below $150 per ounce
Oregon NORML, the largest affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws based in Washington DC (NORML), announces its official endorsement of Measure 74, the Oregon regulated Medical Marijuana Supply System Act. Oregon NORML encourages all its members and the general public to vote “yes” on this sensible initiative to provide better access to medicine for sick and disabled Oregonians in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program.
A new analysis of Measure 74 by NORML’s National Outreach Coordinator Russ Belville has revealed aspects of the system that he believes will dramatically improve the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program by providing a bountiful supply of medical marijuana and driving down prices for patients. “Unlike California and Colorado, which are barely now addressing the balancing act between patient need and careful regulation, Oregon’s Measure 74 begins with a well-regulated, state-inspected system of licensed non-profit dispensaries,” says Belville. “When any non-felon Oregon aged 21 and older can pay $1,000 a year for Measure 74’s state producer license, which bestows the right to grow 24 mature marijuana plants and 72 seedlings and possess six pounds of product to sell to dispensaries, there should be no excuse for any patient to lack access to cannabis.”
Oregon NORML had been officially neutral regarding Initiative 28, as Measure 74 was known before making the ballot. “As a NORML affiliate, we feel our first mission is to work toward legalization of cannabis for all adults,” said Executive Director Madeline Martinez. “We put our hard work and effort into the OCTA [Oregon Cannabis Tax Act] in support of that mission. We’re disappointed that the 90% of Oregon’s cannabis consumers who are not protected by the OMMA [Oregon Medical Marijuana Act] will have to wait at least another two years.”
The experience of dispensary systems in other Western states like California and Colorado also led to reluctance of Oregon NORML to initially embrace Initiative 28. “When we were at NORML’s Conferences in California,” Martinez continued, “we visited dispensaries and found prices at $300 per ounce and $15 per gram. At the NORML Aspen Legal Seminar, joints were sold for $9 each or three for $25. This is compassion? Many of our members are patients on $600 disability fixed incomes – access to $300 ounces might as well be no access at all.”
Now that Measure 74 has made the ballot, Oregon NORML fulfills its mission of supporting marijuana law reform by endorsing Measure 74. “Russ’s report really helped address our concerns about lowering these marijuana prices that are no better than the black market. Our expert growers have told us they can produce quality medicine indoors for less than $40 per ounce and outdoors for far less, depending on the weather,” Martinez concludes. “When Measure 74 passes, our business projections show that our allies will be able to operate world-class medical marijuana dispensaries that sell medicine for no more than $150 per ounce.”
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