Clackamas County Cannabis Retailers Score 100 Percent Compliance

OREGON CITY, OR — Sting operations conducted in February at 10 recreational cannabis retail shops in Clackamas County resulted in 100 percent compliance, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC).

Using minor decoys who attempt to purchase cannabis, law enforcement and OLCC officials periodically test shops around the state to ensure no retailers are selling marijuana to anyone under 21 years old.

Along with the 10 shops in Clackamas County, 11 shops along the coast and four shops in central Oregon also avoided hefty fines by not selling cannabis to decoys during the operations.

After an abysmal showing in December 2017, when 16 out of 66 shops across the state failed the OLCC minor decoy test, OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks demanded an improvement.

The failure rate from December was "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."

OLCC's compliance checks are conducted to ensure minors are not able to easily obtain cannabis products from licensed retailers. Similar to alcohol sale compliance checks, the stings involve a true minor volunteer who enters the retail business and attempts to purchase cannabis, offering their true identification that clearly shows they are a minor.

The first violation by a retailer could be met with steep penalties, such as a 10 to 30-day license suspension, or a fine of $1,650 — depending on whether the sale was intentional, according to the OLCC.

Failure to simply check ID, as oppose to actually selling the restricted product, is also a punishable violation that could result in a weeklong license suspension or a $1,100 fine.

"One of the basic tenets of Measure 91 is the protection of children by discouraging their use of marijuana," Marks said previously. "Oregonians who voted for legalizing recreational marijuana implicitly told the cannabis industry to abide by public safety laws."

The following Clackamas County shops successfully followed the rules during OLCC operations Feb. 16:

In Oregon City —

• Electric Lettuce - 1279 Molalla Ave.
• Gnome Grown Oregon - 719 Molalla Ave.
• Kaleafa - 19197 S. Molalla Ave.

In Milwaukie —

• The Green Planet - 15080 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd.
• Little Amsterdam Wellness Center - 18819 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd.
• Maritime Café - 17417 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd.
• Top Hat Express - 11916 S.E. 22nd Ave. Suite B
• Top Shelf Budz - 6335 S.W. Harmony Rd.

In Molalla —

• Today's Herbal Choice - 31568 S. Hwy 213
• Shango Premium Cannabis - 109 West Main St.

Image via Matt Benoit/Shutterstock