Oregon Launches Unified Licensing Platform for Cannabis and Alcohol Businesses

LOS ANGELES – The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) introduced a groundbreaking online system on Monday, aimed at streamlining the licensing process for the state’s cannabis and alcohol industries. The newly unveiled Cannabis and Alcohol Management Program (CAMP) is designed to serve as a comprehensive online portal for businesses engaging in the state-regulated sale of cannabis and alcohol.

CAMP promises to simplify the administrative burden on businesses by consolidating licensing services into a single, accessible platform. This initiative is expected to facilitate easier management of licensing tasks, including location changes for cannabis businesses and acquiring alcohol sales licenses for restaurants.

Rich Evans, OLCC’s Senior Director of Compliance, highlighted the benefits of the new system, stating, “We’ve learned a lot from our initial online cannabis licensing system, as well as moving our alcohol service permitting process online.” Evans further emphasized that the insights gained from these experiences have been instrumental in enhancing the licensing process for stakeholders and improving the commission’s data collection practices. These improvements, according to Evans, are poised to bolster the OLCC’s capacity to make more informed decisions related to compliance and policy.

CAMP is designed with a focus on user experience, offering features such as unified login accounts, electronic payment options, a centralized dashboard for managing multiple licenses, and easy access to crucial information. Additionally, the program aims to enhance public transparency by making data more readily available in accordance with Oregon’s public records laws.

This development follows closely behind the state legislature’s recent approval of legislation that imposes limitations on the number of cannabis business licenses, correlating them with the state’s population. This regulatory approach now closely mirrors the framework governing liquor stores in Oregon. Joy Hudson, Co-founder and CEO of Oregon-based Nimble Distribution, commented on the alignment, noting the increasing similarities between the regulation of cannabis and alcohol.

Furthermore, the legislative measure has solidified the OLCC’s authority to develop and modify rules to ensure the efficacy of the systems it oversees.

Initially, CAMP will cater to recreational cannabis licensees, with plans to expand its services to include alcohol licensees later in the year. The implementation of the program will unfold in stages over a 16-month period, with subsequent updates anticipated to encompass liquor licensing, permit renewals, and compliance procedures.

The introduction of CAMP marks a significant step forward in Oregon’s efforts to streamline regulatory processes for cannabis and alcohol businesses, reflecting a commitment to efficiency, transparency, and responsive governance.