The problem appears to be that what was available to patients can no longer be sold because it needs to be licensed differently than before, and the recreational licenses flooded the system. Now they no longer grant new licenses. It sounds like it sucks.
That is a problem with poor regulation, not legalization.
The new shops can/will sell anything that the old shops did. It's the growers that need the correct permits. That is an issue for some growers, it is not a problem for any 'sick people' who can still get their extracts, from a store that got it from a different supplier.
Did you read this ...
Limits on THC – a powerful active ingredient in cannabis products – are also an issue, according to Berkovitz. With the dawn of recreational dispensaries, the Oregon Health Authority began regulating THC content. A medical edible, typically in the form of a sweet treat, is now capped at 100mg THC, which Berkovitz says is not enough for a really sick person.
“If you need two 3000mg a day orally and you’re capped at a 100mg candy bar, that means you need 20 candy bars, which cost $20 a pop,” he said. “So you’re spending $400 a day to eat 20 candy bars.”
Plainly speaking, the legislation (likely using medicinal needs as a selling point) totally screws those who once depended on medical pot. At least that's how I read it. It's all about the recreation cash cow and screw the medical side.
Misleading title. It does not make things worse.
The Guardian is a tabloid, not a news service.