Oregon Medical Marijuana

Based on the growth of the Oregon?Cannabis Industry, we are launching Oregon Pot Shops.

Oregon?was among the first states in the US to create laws governing the production, dissemination and use of medical marijuana. The state came up with a law that made it legal for qualifying patients to access and use medical marijuana. However, the Oregon?Cannabis laws has been criticized for leaving out vital provisions on a variety of issues.

On November 4, 2014 Oregon citizens voted to legalize the use and possession of marijuana and cannabis products.?Recreational marijuana stores are expected to begin opening in the fall of 2016.

The new law will be implemented on July 1, 2015. Until then marijuana possession is illegal as follows:

* Possession of less than an ounce is a non-criminal violation.

* Possession of 1 to 4 ounces is a misdemeanor.

* More than four ounces is a felony.

After July 1st 2015, residents of legal age (21 or older) may possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana in a public place and up to 8 ounces of weed in their home. They may also cultivate up to four marijuana plants per household.? They may also gift up to an ounce of pot to another person 21 years of age or older. They will also be able to possess up to 1 pound of marijuana edibles, 72 ounces of marijuana-infused liquid (ie. a six-pack of 12-ounce marijuana sodas) and 1 ounce of marijuana extract.

After July 1st 2015, residents will be able to use marijuana at home, at a friend’s house or other private property with the owner’s permission. Marijuana use will not be allowed in public places.

The timeline for the opening of recreational marijuana stores and shops is unclear. Oregon’s Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) has been charged with the task of creating a regulatory system for the recreational pot industry by the end of 2015. In December 2014 the OLCC appointed Tom Burns as Director of Marijuana Programs. Burns, who is the former Director of Pharmacy Programs at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and oversaw the implementation of Oregon?s medical marijuana dispensary program, will lead the implementation of Measure 91.

The issues at hand are:

• Rules regarding the location of? marijuana production, processing, and retail shops.
• Rules governing advertising of recreational marijuana.
• Whether or not to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to also sell recreational marijuana
• How to track the status of marijuana as it moves through the industry and levy taxes.
• Create civil penalties for violations of the laws regarding possession limits, consumption restrictions etc.
• How to regulate the testing of marijuana in the industry.

The state will then begin taking taking licensing applications no later than January 4, 2016 and the first recreational marijuana stores will likely open in? the fall of that year.

Oregon residents are expecting good prices as the state will only levy one-time excise taxes at the wholesale level versus the 25% retail tax in Colorado or the 25% wholesale and 25% retail tax rates for the state of Washington. The one-time excise tax rates for Oregon will be: Marijuana flowers – $35 per ounce, Marijuana leaves – $10 per ounce and a $5 tax for each immature plant. This should result in Oregon having recreational marijuana prices that will significantly undercut the recreational pot prices in both Colorado and Washington state.

More detailed information can be found at the Oregon Liquor Control Commission website.