Oregon state lawmakers who fear heightened marijuana enforcement by federal agents overwhelmingly approved Monday a proposal to protect pot users from having their identities or cannabis-buying habits from being divulged by the shops that make buying pre-rolled joints and “magic” brownies as easy as grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the liquor store.

Jack Sargent sees a bright future in marijuana.

The retired grandfather of nine wants to grow his Biddeford-based business, The Cannabis Shack, to cater parties – think weddings and barbecues with marijuana-infused food – and open a storefront cannabis bakery. He’s already perfected his recipes, including an “award winning” Hell Sauce 420 hot sauce, brownies and infused salad dressings.

But at least until next year, when the state plans to issue retail licenses, Sargent isn’t allowed to sell any of it. While marijuana use is now legal for adults 21 and over, selling it remains a crime and obtaining it without breaking the law is difficult.

Want to legalize marijuana federally? Propose sensible taxes on the drug.

That’s the tactic of a new bill from two Oregon Democrats: House Ways and Means Committee member Earl Blumenauer and ranking Senate Finance Committee member Ron Wyden. It takes on tough questions: What should a marijuana tax measure? Should it tax medical marijuana? The Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act (MRRA) provides thoughtful answers.

What to tax? 

Oregon's pot industry sold nearly 5 million grams — or roughly 11,000 pounds — of marijuana during the first three months of 2016, according to a report from the state government.

Governors in four states that have legalized marijuana in some form have written a letter to two Trump administration officials requesting they consult with states before making any changes to regulatory and enforcement systems for the drug.

The independent governor of Alaska joined the Democratic governors of Colorado, Oregon and Washington to write a letter to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Monday, asking them to continue the Obama administration’s hands-off policy towards enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have okayed medicinal or recreational use.

Everyone can agree that driving while stoned is dangerous, but how do states remedy the flawed science behind marijuana drug tests?

Gagan Singh rolled a “fat blunt” before he hit the slopes at Lake Tahoe on a sunny Wednesday morning.

By the end of the day, he needed a refill, so he drove to Reno and stopped at one of the local medical marijuana dispensaries. With his Patagonia jacket and bleached-blond man-bun, Singh was eager to head to his hotel and smoke.

The only reason he wouldn't be smoking while driving to the hotel was because he believes Nevada cops are stricter than the ones in the Bay Area.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission issued its first recall of recreational marijuana after samples of a type of cannabis were found to contain a level of pesticide residue above the state limit.

The Blue Magoo marijuana was sold at Buds 4 U in Mapleton, a community 45 miles west of Eugene, The Capital Press reported. The commission, which oversees retail sales of recreational cannabis, said people who bought the product should return it to the retailer or throw it out.

The retailer notified the agency immediately after spotting the failed pesticide reading in the state’s cannabis tracking system, commission spokesman Mark Pettinger said. The shop sold the brand to 31 customers March 8-10.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has issued its first recall of recreational marijuana.

The OLCC says samples of Blue Magoo marijuana contained a level of pesticide residue that exceeds the state limit.

The Capital Press reports the marijuana was grown by Emerald Wave Estate and sold at Buds 4 U in Mapleton, a community 45 miles west of Eugene. The OLCC said people who bought the pot should dispose of it or return it to the retailer.

A new report on the recreational and medical marijuana industry in Oregon estimates that 12,500 jobs have been created with cumulative annual wages of $315 million.

With the report, done by Beau Whitney of Whitney Economics, Oregon joins Colorado in reporting a big economic boost from the legalization of marijuana.

It’s important to note that Whitney wrote the report for the Oregon State House of Representatives Committee on Economic Development and Trade. In another words, it’s a government-sponsored report. With that caveat, the report shows some impressive numbers associated with the marijuana business, much like Colorado reported late in 2016.

Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the medical cannabis patient advocacy group, recently released its annual report assigning letter grades to states based on the proficiency of their medical cannabis programs. The good news: 39 states improved their medical cannabis laws last year. The bad news: Six states have yet to legalize any form of medical cannabis, including CBD products, and many others still struggle with restrictive laws, limited access or daunting prices.