The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy seems to want to bring its medical cannabis market more inline with the same regulations as its recreational market. I’m all for protecting the consumer, but not when the regulation hurts the consumer.

The recreational market currently has people third-party test their products for mold and anomalies. I completely agree with that regulation. But there is an erroneous regulation coming from the Office of Cannabis Policy that I see firsthand is hurting the consumer: the regulation that a recreational cannabis business can only sell 200 mg of oral/tablet THC per package. This was recently elevated from 100 mg when Maine Rep. Laura Supica was able to pass a new law. Despite her best intentions, this changes nothing for the consumer. The medical cannabis market has no limit on the amount of THC per package.

The cannabis business I use has a medical and recreational store. I can purchase 1,200 mg of THC tablets for $50. But from the recreational store, I can only purchase 200 mg THC tablets for $25. It would cost $150 to buy the same amount from the recreational store as the medical. Other medical stores carry 3,000 mg for $80. So, why are we creating a regulation that prices middle- and low-income people out of the market?

THC and CBD are life-saving substances that give people with chronic diseases a better quality of life. We need to stop this harmful regulation from becoming law in the medical market and remove it completely from the recreational market.

Brent Hawkes
Bangor

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Letter: Time to demand meaningful gun safety reform

Next »

Letter: Uphold Portland’s preservation ordinance