Oregon Marijuana Dispensaries To Start Offering Recreational Sales

Oregon marijuana dispensaries are gearing up to offer sales to recreational users.

According to the Associated Press, reported via AOL, Oregon currently has 345 medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state, 200 of which have notified the Oregon Health Authority of their plans to start offering recreational sales starting on Thursday, October 1.

Measure 91 was passed in Oregon in November. Under the law, possessing and growing limited amounts of marijuana for personal use was legalized in July. While the state will not be able to start regulating sales until 2016, the marijuana dispensaries have been given permission to conduct early sales of recreational marijuana tax-free in an effort to lessen black market sales. The taxes will not be added to the recreational sales until January 2015. At that point, a 25 percent sales tax will take effect.

Where to buy Oregon recreational #marijuana on Oct. 1: Hundreds of shop options http://t.co/sEVHTeT5hx #ORpot pic.twitter.com/UK77EaO2kY

— The Cannabist (@cannabist) September 30, 2015

At the time of purchase, customers will be handed a “marijuana information card,” which clearly states that “marijuana can make kids very sick,” according to Oregon Live.

“You can keep the children in your life safe and healthy by storing all marijuana products in a locked area that children cannot see or reach,” the card reads. “Children want to be like their parents and the other adults in their lives. When you use marijuana in front of them, they may want to use it, too. You can keep them safe and healthy by not using marijuana when kids are around.”

“It may harm your baby if you use marijuana in any form and at any time during your pregnancy,” the health authority poster warns. “This includes smoking, eating and vaping marijuana. There is no known safe amount of marijuana use during pregnancy.”

According to Oregon.gov, the only people who can purchase marijuana for recreational purposes are adults 21 years of age and over. To purchase the cannabis, the customers must prove their age with government-issued identification, which must then be verified by a dispensary employee.

There is also a limit as to how much marijuana can be purchased. Only one quarter ounce of dried leaves and flowers may be purchased by a customer each day, and there is no limit to the number or amount of seeds that can be sold. A medical marijuana dispensary can only sell four immature marijuana plants to the same customer between the dates of October 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. However, concentrates, extracts, edibles, topicals, and other marijuana products can only be sold to OMMP patients and caregivers, and are not for sale for recreational use.

Lois Pariseau of Gras Cannabis in Portland, a dispensary that opened four months ago, said she has had people coming to the store for weeks asking about early sales. Because of the competition, Gras Cannabis has been advertising early sales with two local alternative newspapers and on two giant billboards in the city.

It’s going to be a surprise for everybody, we’re hoping it’s really busy,” Pariseau said, noting the importance of people carefully reading and understanding the rules.

“It’s very important for everyone to really read the rules, and follow the law to a T,” she said.

[Photo by Anton Gvozdikov / Shutterstock.com]