Oregon initiative to sell marijuana in stores

[flashl]

PORTLAND -- Could marijuana ever be sold in retail stores in Oregon?

If supporters of cannabis legalization have their way, that could be a reality as soon as November of 2010.

This week, marijuana legalization activists kicked off a campaign to collect more than 80,000 signatures, enough to put that plan onto the statewide ballot in 2010.

The group says millions of dollars would flow annually into Oregon's general fund through the sale of marijuana to adults over 21 years old.

Seattle PI

[LakeSamish706]

1. Wow, good luck with that.... The only way it will happen is if the State is making...

some serious tax dollars off of this venture.

[democracyindanger]

2. With the Oregon Liquor Control Commission

being put in charge of licensing, and all liquor stores in Oregon being state-run by the OLCC, I'd say they do stand to make serious tax dollars off of it.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Oregon is pretty much out there, it will be interesting to see how this plays out... n/t

[Trajan]

9. If 'out there' means way up Northwest, then yes ....

We are 'out there' ...

But if you mean we are a bunch of weird 'out there' crazies ... Well, don't expect a hallelujah chorus from us ...

Oregon is 'right there' and the rest of the numbskull country is 'out there', embedded in mass insanity ...

Oregon is a divine revelation ....

[LakeSamish706]

10. Hey, no offense... cause I am right above you in WA... Of course we are the Ever Green State...

And maybe some of that Evergreen relates to the good old Weed... Hey, what do I know.... Good on Oregon for doing what they are doing... It's a beautiful state and you folks should be proud... Great job, and I hope that you set some firsts....

[Trajan]

12. Well BACK ATCHA, Evergreen Brother ....

When I lived in CA, I took issue with the 'Fruits and Nuts' adage .... I also learned (upon leaving CA), that CA drivers were actually pretty damned good, and very courteous .... It took being elsewhere to know this ... The NW is amazing in so many ways, and very mixed politically (with a decidedly left of center edge) .... But it can be easy to forget politics if your walking along a stream and marvelling
at a thousand shades of green ...

Anyways: No foul ... Maybe you Washingtonians can visit Beervana sometime soon ... Heck : I might be coming up to Seattle this very weekend, for that matter ... A good friend is coming up ...

Gonna be a GREAT weekend in the NW ....

[sandnsea]

4. I'd support it going into liquor stores

And easing up on the liquor sales laws. But that would be a good way to try mj sales and would be easy to end if there were unforeseen problems.

[democracyindanger]

5. It's a no-brainer, IMO

I think if it's going to happen in any state, Oregon would be the first.

[aspergris]

6. I'd certainly support it

I'm from the "marijuana is wicked lame" school, that also thinks it should not be criminal to possess, and I would vote for it.

It could happen. Note it would still violate federal law (case law that incorporating the commerce clause) which imo was poorly decided, but that's another topic

[Massacure]

7. Oregon cannot undo federal law...

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. CA has already been through fights with the Feds on Medical MJ.

[Massacure]

11. Have they won anything though?

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

13. Interesting...but it would probably get busted by feds

Even if the Feds come in and effectively nullify such a law, it would be cool to have a law on the books that would automatically set up a regulatory agency for marijuana should federal prohibition ever be repealed. Kind of like the laws in some states that would automatically ban abortion if Roe V. Wade is ever altered.

More importantly, such a trigger law would send the message that Oregonians are pro-legalization, and the state legal charter respects this Oregonian desire.