Oregon marijuana stores began selling marijuana to recreational users Thursday.
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“The whole team has been preparing a couple of years for this”, he said.
Kwit said he has many out-of-town medical customers who treat their trips to Bend to pick up marijuana products as mini-vacations, shopping at local stores and visiting local restaurants before returning home.
Although recreational marijuana became legal in Oregon on July 1, the state prohibited sales for 3 months as lawmakers discussed oversight.
For now there is no tax on recreational marijuana sales.
While 23 states permit a few form of medical marijuana, only Colorado and Washington states have functioning recreational marijuana marketplaces. “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”.
Attendees of the “Normalize Marijuana” event hope recreational sales will start a conversation about breaking down stereotypes.
Maurer says it’s going to be an adjustment for everyone.
Legalization critics, including the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, argue legalizing pot use will create a new generation of Big Tobacco-like customers and businesses.
“There’s a lot of highly educated buyers here who have been spoiled with high-grade cannabis for years”, McKee said. And anyone wanting to buy should first understand what is and isn’t allowed.
Starting today, dispensaries selling to the public are permitted to sell up to a quarter-ounce to each customer per day, although there is no mechanism to prohibit a shopper from making purchases from multiple dispensaries in a single day. Candies, cookies, oils and lotions with marijuana would be available to those who carry a medical marijuana card. Customers must provide a valid, government-issued photo ID as proof of age.
“I’m just trying to basically stock up for maybe four or five times what the normal volume would be”, said Chris Byers, owner of River City Dispensary in the Southern Oregon town of Merlin.
Sgt. Peter Simpson, with the Portland Bureau of Police, told GoLocal that patrol officers will still be on the lookout for those who smoke in public places, such as parks, streets or outside bars or restaurants, as even after the passage of Measure 91, consumption of marijuana is still only allowed in a private home or other private property.
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At least 28 Lane County dispensaries have gained state approval to sell recreational marijuana, including 15 in Eugene, six in Springfield, four in Cottage Grove and one each in Florence, Oakridge and Veneta. They include Douglas and Harney counties, Gresham, Brownsville, John Day, Junction City, La Grande, Reedsport and Sherwood.
