Dear Pot Lawyer,
Do I really have to pay $100 to work in recreational marijuana?
YES, YOU REALLY DO. And you must pass a test and a criminal background check. If you conquer these three labors like a modern-day Heracles, you should be golden.
Oregon recently followed Colorado’s lead in requiring that weed industry workers carry papers. Whereas Colorado workers sport classy “badges,” however, Oregon workers will just be getting “permits.” This permit requirement applies to everyone toiling in the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s (OLCC) seed-to-sale system. Their counterparts in the medical marijuana program, as well as lab and research certificate employees, are exempt. So if you really, really hate tests, or you are a pauper or felonious type, this may not be your enterprise.
The test itself is a breezy, 30-question, multiple-choice affair, whereby one must demonstrate minimum competency (21 correct answers) on a computer. In that regard, it feels a bit like a DMV exercise. The pot exam is nicer, though, because you can take it in the comfort of your home. It’s also no big deal if your eyes are bad, and no one inquires about your weight or the fate of your organs. Most of the test questions are based on program rules; others are common-sense “how to do life” stuff. I know these things because I took the test myself. And I was pleased to pass.
If the OLCC is reading this, I hope they will not mind if I give a few gentle pointers.