Oregon strain aficionados may be saying goodbye to some of their favorite strain names, under new rules announced last week by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). The Commission passed a temporary rule that clarifies the restrictions on product wording associated with products marketed by or to children. Goodbye, Bruce Banner. So long, GSC (f.k.a Girl Scout Cookies).

State law allows the Commission to regulate cannabis strain names that they deem attractive to minors. The new rule directs OLCC staff to restrict a narrow set of strains that refer to cartoon characters, or names associated with toys and or games marketed to or by children. Companies that have products with the names on it will not be subject to immediate enforcement, said OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks. He said the agency will help inform companies so they can screen out future packaging that contains the names.

After reviewing about 500 cannabis strain names, OLCC staff narrowed the cut list to fewer than 20 strains. The OLCC will work with the industry to correct both packaging and labeling compliance issues.

If you are in Oregon, look out for more guidance and lists of suspect names that will be regulated like the list below from the OLCC, as they will work on these issues as it finalizes its overall permanent rules later this year.

Licensees can also submit strain names to marijuana.packaging@oregon.com to seek guidance on this “attractiveness to children” standard. The full list of banned names, with explanations from the OLCC, can be found in the table below:

 

Example
RATIONALE	STRAIN/MARKETING PHRASE	DERIVATIVE STRAINS	NOTES
Marketed by & Marketed to Children	Girl Scout Cookies	Platinum Girl Scout Cookies, Thin Mint GSC	Cookies sold primarily door to door by the youth organization the Girl Scouts of America
Marketed to Children	Grape Ape		Children's cartoon character produced by Hanna Barbera
Marketed to Children	Candyland		Child's board game by Hasbro
Marketed to Children	Charlotte's Web		Children's book by E.B. White
Marketed to Children	Cinderella	Cinderella 99	Children's storybook character
Marketed to Children	Dr. Who		Fictional character currently marketed to children including cartoon show
Marketed to Children	Bubblelicous		Bubblegum specifically marketed directly to children
Marketed to Children	Smurf	Smurfette, Smurf Pussy	Children's cartoon characters and popular franchise
Marketed to Children	Bruce Banner	Bruce Banner #3, GG#4/Bruce Banner	Alter ego of popular Marvel children's cartoon character the Hulk
Marketed to Children	Death Star		Reference to the popular Star Wars franchise marketed to children
Marketed to Children	Skywalker	Skywalker OG	Reference to the popular Star Wars franchise marketed to children
Marketed to Children	Jedi Kush		Reference to the popular Star Wars franchise marketed to children
Contains Untruthful or Misleading Content	LSD		Is the common street name for illegal drug if contained in the package would constitute adulterated content.
Contains Untruthful or Misleading Content	Blow		Is the common street name for illegal drug if contained in the package would constitute adulterated content.