WE DID IT! One of the many new overreaches in legislation, the proposal to ban small ethanol extractors/extractions, has been stopped for the adult use market.
The amended version of LD 2091 does not include a ban on ethanol extraction! Thank you Representative Hickman (D-Winthrop) for your continued support of the small cannabis business and patients throughout Maine.
Ethanol extraction has been safely used for countless years. It’s a popular method to create cannabis products like tinctures, edibles and topical products. Banning small extractors hurts small businesses and hinders a patient’s ability to create their own medicine at home.
Please read our press release below for more information.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AGREES TO Maine Craft Cannabis Association REQUEST: “Please don’t ban small labs”
Augusta, ME – The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, which has oversight of Maine’s Adult Use Marijuana program, unanimously agreed today to reject a request from Governor Mill’s administration to ban small ethanol extractors.
Based upon dozens on Mainer’s testifying and the advocacy of local cannabis group, the Maine Craft Cannabis Association (MCAA), the committee rejected the measure as it would harm patient access to products like tinctures and interfere with patients being able to select the provider that best serves their needs.
Ethanol extractions have been made safely for thousands of years and have been a regular practice for many small medical caregivers and for patients seeking to cut costs by making their own medicine. It has come to be the most popular method to create non-combustible cannabis products like tinctures, edibles and topical products. The Office of Marijuana Policy’s request to ban small-scale labs caused a storm of opposition during the public hearing. The proposal continues to generate significant push back from caregivers and patients, as well as confusion, since legislators heard no evidence that these common practices have led to any dangerous or concerning incidents in the state.
Officials from OMP expect the adult use market to launch later this spring. State officials project that sales will bring in over four million dollars in taxes by July first, but industry experts are highly skeptical considering the limited municipal opt-in, caps, and other issues that will limit widespread access to legal marijuana for adults 21 and over.
