Oregon governor OKs early sales of recreational-use marijuana

Oregon Governor Kate Brown speaks at the state capital building in Salem, Oregon, February 20, 2015. Reuters/Steve Dipaola

Oregon residents will be able to buy marijuana for recreational use starting in October, about a year earlier than originally expected, under a new law backers hope will help curb the black market, state officials said on Wednesday. 

The law, signed Monday by Democratic Governor Kate Brown, will effectively let adults visit existing medical-use marijuana dispensaries in the state to buy certain strains just to get stoned.

Possessing and growing pot became legal in July after voter approval in a November referendum, and the state expects to start accepting applications in January for recreational pot retail stores likely to open by the fall.

"The bill ... passed with significant bipartisan support in both chambers after a great deal of work by an implementation working group," said Brown's spokeswoman Kristen Grainger.

In November,...

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URL: 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/30/us-usa-marijuana-oregon-idUSKCN0Q404520150730