Oregon: Legal Cannabis Sales Begin Tomorrow
Legal cannabis sales are set to begin in Oregon tomorrow, October 1st, making it the third state in the nation to allow such sales.
Adults 21 years of age and older will be able to legally purchase up to a quarter-ounce of cannabis and up to four cannabis seedlings from certain medical cannabis dispensaries. This allowance, approved by the legislature in July and signed by Governor Kate Brown the same month, gives adults a legal means of purchasing cannabis while the state develops a regulatory structure that will eventually govern the recreational cannabis market. That system is expected to be implemented sometime next year and will be overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
“Oregon officials made a very wise decision to start shifting adult marijuana sales out of the underground market and into regulated businesses”, says Lauren Vazquez, deputy director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. “Most people would prefer to follow the law and purchase marijuana safely and legally inside stores rather than on the street. Voters wanted a sensible alternative to marijuana prohibition and that’s what they’re getting.”
Vazquez continues; “This is a major step forward for Oregon, and we hope it will set an example for others. States are proving that regulating marijuana works, both for medical and broader adult use. We expect to see several more states adopt similar laws over the next couple years, and it’s only a matter of time before Congress follows. The marijuana prohibition era is steadily coming to an end.”
– TheJointBlog