Fifty-six percent of voters statewide in 2014 decided to pass marijuana legalization in Oregon. That’s the greatest statewide support for legalization of the four states that have passed it. Every adult may possess an ounce of marijuana, grow four cannabis plants at home per household, possess a half-pound of marijuana at home, and shop in safe retail outlets.

The only problem? If you live east of the Cascade Mountains, there will be no safe retail outlets for you.

As the legislature worked on implementing the will of the majority, representatives of the people living in those eastern counties demanded a compromise. Allow the counties that really, really hate potheads to ban marijuana markets, or they’ll sue to destroy the entire state’s legal marijuana markets.

During the Measure 91 campaign, economic firm EcoNorthwest projected that the state would bring in $38.5 million in new revenue the first year while the state of Oregon projected a more modest $9 of net revenue. If the first week of sales are any indication, the higher projection by EcoNorthwest may just be the more accurate number, if not a conservative estimate itself.  Sales in Oregon were booming the first week that medical marijuana dispensaries could sell cannabis flower to adults 21 and over. Of course, Marijuana Politics was there to cover the first day of legal cannabis commerce in Oregon.

Once upon a time there was a pretty girl and a funny boy who fell in love. Like every young couple, they dreamt about making a big wedding party to celebrate their union. Church, bride dress, cake, dance floor and everything else that they could ask for. But there was something a bit weird in their dream… Instead of a regular bar, they wish to have a cannabar to give their guests some fun.

And so their wish came true…

No, this is not a children’s story, but could easily be a modern fairytale.

Brides and grooms, even ones who say they don’t partake often but want to be hospitable, are giving guests choices that are much different than the standard merlot or chardonnay. Now, the choice could be Tangerine Haze or Grape Ape.

Recreational marijuana has been legal throughout Oregon for a few months now. While residents could use it, purchasing from a store hasn’t been possible.

That’s because retail sales of recreational cannabis have remained illegal. That ends Thursday, when the state will begin allowing recreational sales at medical marijuana dispensaries.

According to the OLCC, the state currently projects $10.7 million in revenue for the 2015-2017 biennium.

Here’s everything you need to know about purchasing pot for recreational use in Oregon.

At least two collective bargaining contracts between Oregon cannabis workers and the dispensaries that employ them have been signed, and more are expected to partake in collective bargaining as the industry develops.

The move to unionize by some cannabis workers strengthens the role unions have historically held in negotiating workplace conditions for their members, as labor unions enter a brand new market.

And the trend is expected to grow: As many as 50 Oregon cannabis businesses have expressed interest in unionizing to the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555. The union represents more than 20,000 retail and manufacturing workers in Oregon and Washington.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Parents of kids with medical marijuana cards told KATU News they're often the only line of defense when it comes to keeping weed away from other children.

More than 250 Oregon children have medical marijuana cards, including 7-year-old Bennett. His mom uses droplets of marijuana in his juice or milk to help with his autism. She admits keeping those contaminated drinks out of the hands of other kids, especially Bennett's little brother, is tough. 

"Keeping the other children away from that, so you have to be very responsible as a parent when those things are around," she said. 

Parents of kids using medical marijuana have to sign a sheet promising not to let the weed get into other kids' hands.

Alaska

Qualifying conditions to become a medical marijuana patient in Alaska include:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Cachexia (wasting syndrome)
• Nausea
• Muscle spasms
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pain
• Seizures

For a complete list of qualifying conditions and guidelines, please refer to Alaska’s application for medical marijuana registry

Arizona

Qualifying conditions to become a medical marijuana patient in Arizona include:

Medical marijuana dispensaries remained busy throughout the weekend after opening their doors for recreational sales Thursday. 

Many of the dispensaries opened at the stroke of midnight Thursday and were greeted with long lines. Those lines continued the following three days, and thousands of customers found their way to a dispensary. Bend has the most dispensaries in Central Oregon, with 16 locations. 

“It was amazing,” Ben Hebert, owner of Dr. Jolly’s on SE Third Street, said Sunday. “We were totally busy all the time. I think we had a lot of happy people coming out of here.” 

Aviv Hadar, co-founder of Oregrown Industries, which has a dispensary on NW Wall Street, said sales reached $55,000 on the first day alone. 

Oregonians who possess medical marijuana cards have finally been told to take a number.

The aftermath of recreational marijuana becoming a reality: some Portland medical marijuana dispensaries have seen sales overwhelmingly increase overnight. And yes, there are lines. 

GoLocalPDX spoke with Christina Zusman, an owner of Canna Daddy’s dispensary on SE Division, which just started selling recreational marijuana. “Our average now is between 700 and 1000 customers a day when we used to see a couple hundred each day. Sales are good.”  

Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and the District of Columbia have voted to legalize marijuana, but the October. 1 start date means the state has become the third state where marijuana is offered for recreational sale.

At present, only “dispensaries”-outlets which had formerly been exclusively committed to distribution of marijuana for medical uses-are permitted to sell marijuana, pending the release of a system for regulating outlets exclusively devoted to distributing marijuana for purely recreational use”.

In Madras, all three dispensaries plan on selling recreational marijuana, but city law stipulates they open no earlier than 8 a.m. Prineville, where one dispensary is located, and La Pine, with two, does not allow recreational marijuana sales.