The draft law also allows licensed businesses to produce, process, and sell cannabis products. Public possession would be capped at 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and households could store up to five pounds of cannabis flower for personal use.
Regulatory oversight would be assigned to a new Division of Cannabis Regulation within the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The agency would supervise retail operations, while the Department of Health Services would maintain a medical cannabis patient registry.
Taxation measures included in the bill impose a 10% wholesale excise tax and a 5% retail sales tax. Medical cannabis purchases would be exempt from these taxes. Local governments would also be permitted to add their own tax of up to 5%.
Municipal authorities would retain the right to restrict cannabis businesses within local boundaries if community policy requires it.
The legislation introduces a category for low-dose hemp-based products containing controlled levels of THC. Products exceeding 10 milligrams of hemp-derived THC would be classified as marijuana.
