Oregon Bank Now Serving Colorado Cannabusinesses
Wed / Jan 21st
MBank, an Oregon bank based outside of Portland, has publicly announced that it will be serving businesses in the legal… Read More
Oregon Cannabis News
Oregon helped pioneer medical cannabis in the U.S. and was among the first states to legalize adult-use cannabis. Scroll down for news about the state’s latest cannabis policy and business happenings and to browse our Q&A and podcast interviews featuring Oregon-based cannabis business owners.
Oregon Legislature Faces Host of New Marijuana-Related Proposals
Wed / Jan 14th
In November, Oregon voters passed Measure 91 to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana. Now, the new state legislature — legislators were… Read More
Brief: OLCC Requests Budget for Implementing Marijuana Legalization
Thu / Dec 11th
On Monday, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) asked for a $583,000 budget from state lawmakers to cover the salary… Read More
Brief: Portland Prosecutors to Dismiss Current and Future Marijuana Cases
Thu / Nov 13th
Within days of last week’s vote for legalization, the district attorney’s office in Multnomah County — which contains Portland, Oregon’s largest and most… Read More
Oregon, Alaska, and Washington D.C. Vote to Legalize Marijuana
Wed / Nov 5th
Two more states, accompanied by our nation’s capitol, have legalized marijuana for recreational use. While Florida’s bid for medical marijuana… Read More
With Elections Looming, OR Senator Comes Out in Support of Legalization
Wed / Oct 29th
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, has announced that he will be voting “yes” on Oregon’s legalization initiative this November. According… Read More
Oregon MMJ Program’s Recent Growth Attributed to New Dispensary Industry
Thu / Oct 16th
Since Oregon voters approved the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) in 1998, enrollment in the program has often fluctuated dramatically. In the… Read More
Brief: Oregon’s Legalization Campaign to Buy Massive Amounts of Ad Space
Mon / Sep 15th
New Approach Oregon, the political powers behind Oregon’s Measure 91 (a bid to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adults aged… Read More
Oregon’s Anti-Marijuana ‘Education Tour’ in Trouble, Congressman Calls for Official Investigation
Sat / Sep 6th
As you’ve probably heard, the state of Oregon will be host this November to a vote on the legalization and… Read More
Brief: International Cannabis Business Conference Coming to Portland, OR
Mon / Sep 1st
The International Cannabis Business Conference will be held September 13-14 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR. According to the… Read More
Brief: Legalization in Oregon Offers Only Economic Benefits
Thu / Aug 21st
The potential legalization and subsequent regulation of recreational marijuana in Oregon is beginning to look like — from a purely economic… Read More
Legalization Initiative in Oregon Submits Over 145,000 Signatures
Thu / Jun 26th
The New Approach Oregon campaign has reportedly collected more than 145,000 signatures for their cause, which means that Oregon voters can expect to… Read More
Oregon Lawmakers Drop Proposed Ban on Sugary Medibles
Thu / Apr 3rd
Oregonian dispensaries and medical marijuana patients can rest easy knowing that popular cannabis-infused edibles such as cookies, brownies, and hard… Read More
Oregonians Might Get to Vote for Marijuana Three Times in 2014
Mon / Mar 31st
Some people were surprised when Washington legalized marijuana in 2012 and Oregon did not, though the issue went up for… Read More
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.
