Cannabis legalization in Oregon
Oregon was among the earliest states to approve adult-use cannabis legalization by voter initiative. The state’s recreational marketplace officially launched on July 1, 2015, about seven months after voters approved the legalization initiative — at the time, it was the fastest a state had gone from approving legalization to launching its regulated marketplace. Previously, Oregon in 1998 became only the second state to legalize medical cannabis following a successful ballot initiative.
State of the industry
Oregon’s medical and adult-use cannabis markets are currently operating side-by-side. Many of the state’s successful adult-use dispensaries were longtime medical cannabis operations but there remain some medical-only dispensaries. Notably, the industry’s licensing structure was particularly cultivator-friendly at the start which resulted in many years of market oversaturation. State lawmakers have approved legislation to address this by letting cannabis operators export their products to other state-legal markets but the program is on hold until it gets federal approval.
Oregon places a 17% excise tax and 3% local tax on cannabis for a total tax rate of 20%, which — when compared to neighboring cannabis markets — is about half that of Washington and California but about double that of Nevada.
Oregon cannabis possession rules
- Adults aged 21+ in Oregon can purchase and possess up to an ounce of cannabis flower and concentrate products.
- Purchase/possession for edibles is capped at 16 ounces (72 ounces for infused liquids).
- Adult Oregonians are allowed to home grow up to four cannabis plants per household and can purchase cannabis seeds and seedlings from licensed retailers.
What is this website?
Ganjapreneur is an online platform dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, investors, and other professionals operating in and/or adjacent to the cannabis industry. We offer news updates through our daily newsletter, regularly interview leading entrepreneurs, and host a comprehensive cannabis industry business index.
