AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee voted on Wednesday to advance a bill sponsored by Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, that would improve the states tracking system for adult use marijuana products.
Currently, Maine's adult use regulations call for a tracking "tag" to be placed on every plant or, in the case of marijuana products, every "item." This system creates significant costs for small businesses operating in this industry.
If passed into law, LD 1817 would lower costs for businesses and reduce plastic waste from tags by amending the per-plant requirement to tag and track plants by batch. The legislation would not change the amount of cannabis product tracked, but rather streamline the process by allowing one physical tag per canopy.
"I am grateful to the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee for responding sensibly to feedback from experts in the field in order to make our marijuana regulation laws more efficient and workable," said Supica. "Maine's adult use cannabis industry and its regulatory agency are still relatively new. It's critical that we continue to find ways to improve our processes and regulatory structures so that we can safely support this burgeoning industry and the health and wellbeing of Mainers."
The bill faces further votes in the House and Senate.
Supica is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and represents District 126, part of Bangor. She sits on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Supica] c. 812-1111