Changes in marijuana laws have created a new and vibrant industry in many states. In addition to the increased business revenue and local taxes, there is also the human element to consider as many marijuana users make use of it as a medicinal drug. Far from the common stereotypes in the media marijuana is shown to effective in treating many medical conditions and improving the quality of life for users.
However, despite these improvements, there is still a social stigma around marijuana use and because of this (and for simple privacy concerns), you may be wondering how safe your personal information really is. As a new industry still in its early phase there are considerations to keep in mind concerning how secure your personal information might be.
No National Standard
An area of concern is that there are no current national laws concerning buyer privacy as it relates to marijuana dispensaries. Much of the legal aspects of marijuana legalization are still being decided at the state level (with marijuana still being illegal on the federal level) which can vary greatly depending on which state you’re in. Even in states with full legalization such as Colorado, California, and Oregon matters of privacy depend on local laws, standards, and bills passed at the state level. Such a lack of uniformity is to be expected in an industry that is as new as marijuana and related business such as dispensaries.
State Laws Can Vary Concerning Privacy
When it comes to buyer data what marijuana dispensaries can legally do and legally collect depends greatly on location and even then many gray areas are up to interpretation. For example, in some states, the only legal requirement is that a dispensary verifies you are over the age of 21 by checking a legal form of ID such as a driver’s license. However, where confusion can arise is in what the dispensary does after. Many states don’t have a legal requirement that dispensaries record your personal information but there is no legal standing that they can’t do so if they want to.
Luckily, here in Oregon Senate Bill 863 has legalized several precautions and business standards that local dispensaries have to follow. These new laws work towards keeping your personal information safe from unauthorized parties. To simplify dispensaries are now legally required to not record any of your personal information (note they still check your ID) and to destroy any information they may have in their records before the passing of this bill. Dispensaries can record your information with your permission for marketing purposes, so you won’t miss out on any sales or discounts.
Final Thoughts
Consumer privacy has become much more important in recent years and with the advancement of digital technology, data tracking, and monitoring it can feel like you’re under surveillance and your personal business has in itself has become a commodity. Part of keeping your personal information out of unwanted hands is knowing the law and paying attention to what information you share who you share it with. The passing of Oregon Senate Bill 863 ensures that your local dispensaries won’t be a point of concern.
