OREGON: The committee charged with drafting rules for Oregon’s state-sanctioned medical marijuana industry meets for the first time this morning.

The committee charged with drafting rules for Oregon’s state-sanctioned medical marijuana industry meets for the first time this morning.

The committee, hand-picked by Tom Burns, who oversees the state’s pharmaceutical drug program, includes police, prosecutors, marijuana lobbyists, lawyers, advocates and dispensary operators.

Their work will be closely watched by the state’s medical marijuana community, which has long sought retail access to cannabis. The state plans to finalize rules by Jan. 31, 2014.

The Oregon Health Authority expects to have a dispensary application process in place by March 1.

Oregon lawmakers this year passed House Bill 3460, which creates a registry for medical marijuana retailers. Unofficial estimates by advocates and law enforcement officials put the number of dispensaries currently operating in the state at more than 100.