Politics Oregon Launches New Cannabis Worker Permit Gage Peake July 8, 2016 Share Twitter Facebook Share Print

Oregon has launched a new program to require permits for all workers in the state’s recreational cannabis industry. In the coming months, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) will process applications and will begin issuing Marijuana Worker Permits on Sept. 1. In the interim, OLCC recreational marijuana licensees are still required to use the state’s cannabis tracking system to register employees.

Each employee of a cannabis company licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) must possess a marijuana worker permit, according to the agency. Applicants must be 21 or older and pay a $100 fee. Permits are valid for five years after the issue date.

Applicants will also have to complete criminal background checks to receive permits, even if they have already completed a background check for the company’s original cannabis license.

The following criminal convictions will disqualify permit applicants:

Felony conviction for possession, manufacture, or delivery of a controlled substance within three years of the date the OLCC received the application, except for convictions involving the manufacture or delivery of cannabis that occurred two or more years prior to the date of the application or renewal.

Felony conviction for a violent crime within three years of the date the OLCC received the application.

Felony conviction for a crime of dishonesty or deception, including but not limited to theft, fraud, or forgery, within three years of the date the commission received the application.

All employees, even part-time and seasonal workers, are required to hold a permit. The mandate affects all licensed producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers.

The new licenses are similar to those issued in Colorado. In that state, applicants must be at least 21 years old and free of any controlled-substance felony conviction during the 10 years immediately preceding his or her application date or five years from May 28, 2013, whichever is longer.

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Gage Peake Gage Peake is a former staff writer for Leafly, where he specialized in data journalism, sports, and breaking news coverage. He's a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications. View Gage Peake's articles