Oregon: 10 Things To Know About Recreational Marijuana Sales

[Jacob Redmond]

Recreational marijuana has been legal throughout Oregon for a few months now. While residents could use it, purchasing from a store hasn’t been possible.

That’s because retail sales of recreational cannabis have remained illegal. That ends Thursday, when the state will begin allowing recreational sales at medical marijuana dispensaries.

According to the OLCC, the state currently projects $10.7 million in revenue for the 2015-2017 biennium.

Here’s everything you need to know about purchasing pot for recreational use in Oregon.

What Is Changing Oct. 1?

Recreational marijuana has been legal in Oregon since Measure 91 went into effect July 1. But the state hadn’t licensed any stores to sell the stuff while it was working on regulations. Under a law crafted last legislative session, registered and licensed medical marijuana dispensaries can start selling recreational marijuana products to eligible adults Thursday.

The laws about possession and use outlined under Measure 91 remain unchanged.

Who Can Buy Recreational Cannabis?

Under Oregon law, any adult 21 or older is legally allowed to purchase and use recreational marijuana. You don’t need to be a resident of Oregon to legally purchase recreational cannabis, but you must be able to prove your age with government-issued identification at the time of purchase. No special card, like the card for members of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, is needed for recreational purchases.

Where Can You Legally Buy Marijuana?

Standalone recreational marijuana stores don’t exist in Oregon, yet.

But starting Thursday, licensed medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to sell some types of marijuana products for recreational use. More than 200 dispensaries licensed by the Oregon Health Authority have opted to sell recreational pot during the early sales period. Those dispensaries can sell recreational products until Dec. 31, 2016, at which point all recreational sales will fall under the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s regulations and will take place at OLCC-licensed retail stores.

OLCC spokesman Mark Pettinger said the state plans to begin issuing licenses for recreational marijuana stores around October of next year. The OLCC will begin accepting license applications for recreational stores Jan. 4.

How Much Can I Legally Buy Starting Thursday?

People buying recreational marijuana at medical marijuana facilities can purchase the following amounts, per the Oregon Health Authority regulations:

• Up to one quarter of an ounce of dried marijuana flower and leaf
  
  
• Up to four immature marijuana plants between Oct. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2016
  
  
• An unlimited number of marijuana seeds

When the OLCC begins issuing retail licenses in 2016, the state agency will allow stores to sell a person up to the full possession limits outlined in state law, according to Pettinger.

How Much Will Marijuana Cost?

Prices for pot could vary. Several medical dispensaries planning to sell cannabis Thursday have said they’ll adjust their prices based upon the market demand, which remains to be seen.

However, Luke Tanner from Mountain View Naturals — a medical marijuana dispensary in Hood River — said he expects the recreational marijuana price to be around $12-20 per gram, at least initially. At $20 per gram, a quarter ounce of dried flower would cost a customer around $142.

What About Edibles? Can I Buy Those?

No. Although licensed medical dispensaries can sell dried flowers and leaves, marijuana seeds and plants, the retail sales of concentrates, extracts and edibles aren’t allowed under current law. The OLCC is still working on regulations for retail sales of those products. Medical marijuana cardholders can still purchase these products with a valid OMMP card.

Wait, Who Is Regulating Recreational Sales?

Basically, early recreational marijuana sales conducted at medical marijuana facilities fall under the OHA’s authority. OHA restrictions on amounts purchased and taxes will only apply to recreational purchases made at medical marijuana dispensaries. When the first OLCC-regulated recreational marijuana facilities begin opening next year, they’ll fall under OLCC regulations and taxes.

The OLCC is still ironing out the details of its regulations, including setting rules on what types of edibles and extracts can be sold at retail stores. Pettinger noted the OLCC is still in the process of hiring and building out its compliance and regulation staffs.

There will be a slight overlap of regulations in the second half of 2016, as both OHA-regulated medical dispensaries and OLCC-regulated retail stores sell recreational marijuana. That overlap will expire Jan. 1, 2017 when all recreational marijuana sales will be conducted at OLCC-sanctioned stores.

How Will Recreational Marijuana Be Taxed?

This gets a bit tricky, as there are different rules for OHA regulated dispensaries and for the eventual OLCC regulated retail locations that will pop up in 2016.

Starting Thursday, all recreational sales conducted at medical marijuana facilities will be tax free. That changes Jan. 4, when all medical marijuana dispensaries will be required to collect a 25 percent tax on recreational marijuana sales, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

When OLCC-regulated retail stores begin popping up in 2016, those sales will fall under a different tax structure. The state will impose a 17 percent tax on all retail sales, and local cities and counties can impose up to an additional 3 percent tax on purchases at retail stores.

Where Will The Tax Money Go?

According to Measure 91, the law that made recreational marijuana usage and sales legal in Oregon, the tax revenue collected from recreational sales will be divided up in the following ways:

• 40 percent to the Common School Fund
  
  
• 20 percent to the Mental Health Alcoholism and Drug Services
  
  
• 15 percent to the Oregon State Police
  
  
• 10 percent to cities for enforcement of the measure
  
  
• 10 percent to counties for enforcement of the measure
  
  
• 5 percent to the Oregon Health Authority for alcohol and drug abuse prevention

Pettinger noted that while the tax revenues will be spread throughout the state, counties and cities that opt out of sales will not receive a share of the tax revenue.

Where In Oregon Are Pot Sales Banned?

Although recreational marijuana usage is legal statewide, Oregon has granted the right to individual counties and cities to enact local bans on the sale of recreational marijuana under certain conditions. You can find a list of cities and counties prohibiting the sale of recreational marijuana at the OLCC’s website.

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 10 Things To Know About Recreational Marijuana Sales
Author: Bryan M. Vance
Photo Credit: John Rosman/OPB
Website: OPB News

 

[Big Sur]

Well, I cannot open a thread in this forum about my experiences with Oregon pot sales so far, so I will add them to this thread.

Black & Green Thursday* (Oct. 1) was a success for marijuana sales in Oregon, if you were in a city/county that allowed it and there were any medical marijuana stores in that area. 24 cities and 9 counties in Oregon have applied to not allow any non-medical/recreational cannabis sales. This does not apply to the personal use laws and limits to possession or growing for personal use, or medical growing or buying at green cross medical MJ stores in Oregon. However, it will apply to growing, processing, distributing and selling of recreational weed. Also most counties in Oregon are currently drafting legislation dealing with limits on where recreational pot can be grown, processed, distributed and sold. I got a notice in the mail today that my county is reviewing limits on growing, processing, distributing and selling of recreational MJ county wide. Basically they want commercial growing kept out of urban, suburban, commercial and industrial areas, and processing, distribution, and sales kept inside industrial and commercial areas. Where I live out in the boonies which is zoned for farm/forest, they will allow commercial growing, but there are added restrictions on keeping odor under control, required security, set-backs, limited public access (fences and viewing), and other requirements. Apparently I will not be allowed to process, distribute or sell weed out here. Only grow. These are being reviewed now and will become law at some point before January 4, 2016.

*I coin the term Black and Green Thursday because others have called it Green Thursday here, but the shooting at the college in Roseburg was also a black day. I used to go to that college for OSU extended studies courses when I lived in Southern Oregon. 10 people were killed that day, including the shooter and another 7 were injured.

 

[Big Sur]

And now for my personal experiences shopping for MJ in the east Portland area on Green Thursday. Note that rec weed can be sold in Portland, but not in Gresham. So that limits things on the east side of town. I had gotten the list of medical MJ dispensaries that had filed to sell rec weed online (90 some-odd stored in the greater Portland area). I drove past a half dozen medical MJ gone rec dispensaries in the early afternoon and most had lines to get in with between 10 and 30 people in them. One was closed for some reason. I figured maybe I should wait, but I wanted to see what the prices were and what they had to offer. So I stopped at 3 places and it was a very mixed experience.

I started at the self-proclaimed "largest medical MJ store" in Oregon and they had a line of about 30 people. I talked to the owner there and he said that the line was moving pretty fast. So I waited it out in the rather warm and dry afternoon. They were letting people with medical cards go straight in w/o waiting in line. The owner said that he normally serviced about 125 people a day, and they were already at 500 at 5pm. They had an obvious army of people working there and they were ready for the event and the crowds. I asked him about supply, and he said that he has 35 growers (all indoor) and he was not going to run out, ever. He also said that he is moving to a larger facility across the road and basically rotating over to become a recreational sale location as of 2016, but he will continue medical sales after that. Once inside, I was ID'd and they sent me to one of 5 recreational sales stations set up. They also had some medical sales stations set up. Medical card holders had access to their full line of products. Rec sales were limited to buying seeds and starter plants, about 20 strains of buds. They ranged in price from $10 to $15 a gram, and they also sold 1/8 a d 1/4 ounce amounts. They were all pre-weighed and packaged already, so it was a fast checkout process. I bought two strains, one a super high CBD type for $15, and a gram of a well known sativa strain fro $12. The woman called herself a bud tender, but it was obvious that she did not know jack about the weed being sold and she just read the labels. I can do that myself, thank you. Anyway, it was an amusing start.

So I went to another place near there that had no line, so I popped in for a look see. Once I was inside I noticed that they were in a complete state of chaos. There were not ready for anything. They had 2 sales stations set up on the rec side and all of 3 strains there for $20 a gram, none of which I had heard of. They also had a signs with stuff for sale like seeds, but it was all pretty expensive. So I said, "Thanks, but no thanks," and I walked out. I did grab some copies of the latest medical MJ free magazines there though. I then went to another tiny boutique medical MJ shop but they were closed for whatever reason. I then drove past a new huge storefront, but someone there told me they had jacked up all the prices so I skipped it.

I then went to a small boutique shop in Wood Village and there was a short line, so I got in line. The wait was rather long, but worth it. There was one guy on the computer processing IDs and two people working behind the counter. They had about 15 strains for sale, and many were top strains that I have heard of. The prices were good, starting at $7 a gram. I bough some of that and another top strain for $12. They had some Leafly Cannabis Strains brochures (laid out like the periodic table), and the manager there gave me a copy of the Weed Map of Oregon. I was also given a punch card with 2 punches in it, and after 10 I can get a free gram. They were knowledgeable about the weed, but slow to process orders. They were weighing out amounts on a scale and packaging them after we decided what we wanted. They also had a array of starter plants for sale and seeds in packages. The plants looked good and were good strains. The seeds are guaranteed to be females and the strains advertised on the package, but they were $55 for 4-5 seeds. Seems pricey to me, but I am sitting on a hoard of landrace and heirloom seeds.

So that was my experience here on day one on Oregon. Sadly the shooting in Roseburg was taking up all the press that day and has become international news, still. That has clouded over an otherwise noteworthy event that took place here in Oregon. We should be celebrating. I cannot say that the experience was that rewarding. Retail therapy is one thing, and being caught up in the event was another. However, buying weed from friends of friends on the black market was better, IMO. It is just not the same thing any more.

 

[Radogast]

And now for my personal experiences shopping for MJ in the east Portland area on Green Thursday. Note that rec weed can be sold in Portland, but not in Gresham. So that limits things on the east side of town. I had gotten the list of medical MJ dispensaries that had filed to sell rec weed online (90 some-odd stored in the greater Portland area). I drove past a half dozen medical MJ gone rec dispensaries in the early afternoon and most had lines to get in with between 10 and 30 people in them. One was closed for some reason. I figured maybe I should wait, but I wanted to see what the prices were and what they had to offer. So I stopped at 3 places and it was a very mixed experience.

I started at the self-proclaimed "largest medical MJ store" in Oregon and they had a line of about 30 people. I talked to the owner there and he said that the line was moving pretty fast. So I waited it out in the rather warm and dry afternoon. They were letting people with medical cards go straight in w/o waiting in line. The owner said that he normally serviced about 125 people a day, and they were already at 500 at 5pm. They had an obvious army of people working there and they were ready for the event and the crowds. I asked him about supply, and he said that he has 35 growers (all indoor) and he was not going to run out, ever. He also said that he is moving to a larger facility across the road and basically rotating over to become a recreational sale location as of 2016, but he will continue medical sales after that. Once inside, I was ID'd and they sent me to one of 5 recreational sales stations set up. They also had some medical sales stations set up. Medical card holders had access to their full line of products. Rec sales were limited to buying seeds and starter plants, about 20 strains of buds. They ranged in price from $10 to $15 a gram, and they also sold 1/8 a d 1/4 ounce amounts. They were all pre-weighed and packaged already, so it was a fast checkout process. I bought two strains, one a super high CBD type for $15, and a gram of a well known sativa strain fro $12. The woman called herself a bud tender, but it was obvious that she did not know jack about the weed being sold and she just read the labels. I can do that myself, thank you. Anyway, it was an amusing start.

So I went to another place near there that had no line, so I popped in for a look see. Once I was inside I noticed that they were in a complete state of chaos. There were not ready for anything. They had 2 sales stations set up on the rec side and all of 3 strains there for $20 a gram, none of which I had heard of. They also had a signs with stuff for sale like seeds, but it was all pretty expensive. So I said, "Thanks, but no thanks," and I walked out. I did grab some copies of the latest medical MJ free magazines there though. I then went to another tiny boutique medical MJ shop but they were closed for whatever reason. I then drove past a new huge storefront, but someone there told me they had jacked up all the prices so I skipped it.

I then went to a small boutique shop in Wood Village and there was a short line, so I got in line. The wait was rather long, but worth it. There was one guy on the computer processing IDs and two people working behind the counter. They had about 15 strains for sale, and many were top strains that I have heard of. The prices were good, starting at $7 a gram. I bough some of that and another top strain for $12. They had some Leafly Cannabis Strains brochures (laid out like the periodic table), and the manager there gave me a copy of the Weed Map of Oregon. I was also given a punch card with 2 punches in it, and after 10 I can get a free gram. They were knowledgeable about the weed, but slow to process orders. They were weighing out amounts on a scale and packaging them after we decided what we wanted. They also had a array of starter plants for sale and seeds in packages. The plants looked good and were good strains. The seeds are guaranteed to be females and the strains advertised on the package, but they were $55 for 4-5 seeds. Seems pricey to me, but I am sitting on a hoard of landrace and heirloom seeds.

So that was my experience here on day one on Oregon. Sadly the shooting in Roseburg was taking up all the press that day and has become international news, still. That has clouded over an otherwise noteworthy event that took place here in Oregon. We should be celebrating. I cannot say that the experience was that rewarding. Retail therapy is one thing, and being caught up in the event was another. However, buying weed from friends of friends on the black market was better, IMO. It is just not the same thing any more.

Thanks for your personal experience of opening day in Oregon. I was once at opening day of duck hunting on the Oregon/California border, so I undestand how sureal and bizarre it can be on an opening day in Oregon

My first thought on hearing of the University shooting was "I wonder if the Koch brothers or some political org put them up to doing this on a happy day in Oregon." Then I remembered Boston Marathon Day. These sick people love destroying happiness.


If you stick around , I'd be interested in an update in a month or so. $7/gram sounds like a good starting price for a storefront operation