Oregon begins retail marijuana sales — News Guide

Oregon marijuana stores have begun sales to recreational users, marking a big day for the budding pot industry in the state and elsewhere in the nation.

Adults 21 and older could legally possess up to 8 ounces of marijuana at home and 1 ounce of marijuana in public, and grow up to 4 plants. He said he’ll be watching what happens elsewhere in the state as retail sales begin and would be willing to reverse course if Crook County residents warm to the idea.

Shoppers have one more incentive to buy early and often: Under Oregon law, pot purchases will be tax-free until January – a savings of up to 20 percent.

One store was offering a goody bag with T-shirts, but no free marijuana.

There is still more work to be done on marijuana policy at the Oregon Legislature, including reducing marijuana penalties to be completely in-line with our alcohol laws and ensuring that sick and disabled patients have access to medicine, but today can be a day of celebration for how far we have come.

Several stores have erected billboards in Portland.

The city’s reliance on tourism and its position as the largest population center east of the Cascades means local dispensaries are effectively serving many more people than live in Bend, he said. But there’s been no legal way to buy it.

For the first time ever, recreational marijuana is being sold legally to adults over 21 in the state of Oregon.

A few medical marijuana dispensaries – which have a corner on the recreational pot market until licensed recreational stores are allowed next year – will be open at 12:01 to make the first legal sales. By contrast, Colorado had 24 stores on Day 1.

Senate Bill 844 allowed for youth expungement of marijuana expenses, added protections for medical patients seeking medical treatment such as transplants and established a medical marijuana task force.

Colorado and Washington presently permit retail sales of cannabis, while similar regulations are forthcoming in Alaska.

Still, there’s concern. Summer has historically been a time of marijuana shortages in Oregon, and most of the outdoor crop isn’t ready to harvest. Indoor growers have had minimal time to ramp up production since lawmakers approved the October. 1 start date only three months ago.

Green Oasis, which has two locations in Portland and more on the way, has prepared by trying to cultivate strong relationships with growers.

People who spend at least $40 on Thursday will get a 10 percent discount, co-owner Matthew Schwimmer said.

“My position was, when nearly 60 percent of your constituents say, ‘We don’t want it, ‘ that’s a pretty good mandate that says, ‘Listen to us, this is what the vote was, do something about it, ‘” he said.