The voter-approved Measure 91 is now in effect and adults in Oregon can now legally possess and use marijuana for recreational purposes.
For now, the only way to get marijuana legally is to either grow it yourself or receive it as a gift. Retail sales could start as soon as October.
But the new law also lets cities and counties opt out of retail sales. And Oregon's experience with medical marijuana suggests recreational sales will be stopped in parts of the state.
There were many communities, even along the I-5 corridor, that wanted to put the pause on medical marijuana dispensaries. Some of those bans were temporary and have expired already. But it's probably safe to say that in places like Portland and Eugene, access to recreational marijuana will not be an issue.
In one of the more unusual public celebrations of the new law, the Oregon Senate Wednesday gave a bong to a member who chaired a committee that helped craft the state's regulation of the recreational marijuana market.
Democratic Senator Ginny Burdick called the gift "very special,” but said she had no immediate plans to use it.
Copyright 2015 Northwest News Network
