PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 25, 2023 – PRESS
RELEASE
– Inspectors from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC)
plan to fan out across eastern Oregon beginning this weekend with Minor Decoy
Operations (MDO) focused on reducing alcohol service and cannabis sales to
minors.
The MDO activity
marks the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that the OLCC is
able to conduct robust compliance checks in the eastern portion of the state.
“It’s important
that as summer comes to a close, and young people return to school, we make
sure our communities know we’re doing our part to combat underage drinking, and
prevent young people from using marijuana,” said Craig Prins, interim OLCC executive
director.
The current
statewide compliance rate for alcohol sales is 76%; the eastern Oregon (Bend)
region stands at 74%. For cannabis compliance, the Bend region is 88%, which is
better than the statewide average of 84%.
The OLCC’s eastern
Oregon regional office is based in Bend and covers Baker, Crook, Deschutes,
Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union,
Wallowa and Wheeler counties.
Prior
to the pandemic the OLCC utilized volunteer minor decoys, typically members of
law enforcement youth explorer programs. However, OLCC had difficulty getting
volunteers to commit, so the agency’s human resources department determined a
way that minor decoys could become OLCC employees and be compensated.
OLCC had started
to recruit paid minor decoys just as the pandemic hit. Now the agency has been
able to hire a full complement of decoys for all five of its regions, including
eastern Oregon.
OLCC minor decoys
are 18 or older, under the age of 21 and required to use their own legitimate
legal identification when they attempt to purchase alcohol or cannabis
products. The decoys are accompanied by a team of OLCC alcohol and cannabis
inspectors.
MDO compliance
rates, including information on what licensees passed or failed compliance
checks, can be found here on the OLCC website.
