After U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued his memorandum on marijuana in January, I committed to taking a methodical and thoughtful approach to developing an enforcement strategy for Oregon. In early February, our marijuana summit brought together more than 130 people from 70 organizations representing a wide range of interests, values, and perspectives. Among those in attendance were Gov, Kate Brown, representatives from 14 U.S. Attorney's offices, Oregon congressional delegation staff, and members of the Oregon Legislature. The summit featured presentations by state officials, policymakers, federal and state law enforcement agencies, industry representatives, adversely affected landowners, public health organizations, banking executives and tribal leaders. [continues 581 words]
Oregon officials twice neglected to deliver key documents when The Oregonian/OregonLive sought to learn about a state-licensed day care operating in the home of a Portland marijuana entrepreneur. The search started July 10 with a public records request to the state Office of Child Care. It asked for documents including anything submitted by Step by Step's employees, operators or owners. Agency officials provided records between July 15 and Aug. 2. But missing from the documents were forms that Step by Step's top employees, Bre Murphy and Shai King, each submitted when they closed the business June 20. [continues 277 words]
State regulators allowed a Portland man to have a childcare business in his home while owning a storefront dispensary selling marijuana. Those potentially dueling interests didn't surface until this summer, after two childcare employees quit and contacted the state. They accused the day care owner, Samuel Watson, of keeping large amounts of marijuana inside his Alameda home and said he was putting children at risk. Watson categorically denies the allegations, and state officials have not found him at fault. Without key employees, Watson in June was forced to shut down his in-home day care and a second location in Concordia. [continues 2387 words]
In 1969 a Gallup poll revealed that 12 percent of adult Americans favored the legalization of marijuana. Now the figure is drastically higher with 58 percent favoring the legalization, including a jump of 10 percentage points just this past year. Washington state and Colorado have now legalized marijuana statewide. It seems the tipping point has been reached and it is a safe bet that marijuana will soon be legalized in Oregon. It is a safer bet that it will be taxed. [continues 642 words]
Once again, there is mounting political pressure for Oregon to join the states of Colorado and Washington in legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Oregonians defeated recreational pot measures in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, Measure 74, which would have legalized medical marijuana dispensaries, was resoundingly rejected by 58 percent of the voters. In 2012, Oregonians also voted down the Cannabis Tax Act, which would have devoted 90 percent of recreational marijuana profits to the state's general fund. Proponents of legalized pot in Oregon claim the measures were poorly crafted and the campaigns for their passage were under funded and feebly managed. They also contend that since legalizing recreational pot has worked well in Washington and Colorado, public attitude has dramatically shifted in Oregon. [continues 345 words]
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 9 decided to pass on hearing Sansone v. Gordon, a Washington County case prohibiting local authorities from denying concealed handgun licenses to medical marijuana users based on federal narcotics laws. Attorneys who serve as clerks for the U.S. Supreme Court essentially filter which cases are even discussed by the nine individual U.S. Supreme Court Justices. After that, at least three or four Justices must agree to hear the case. Only about 5 percent of cases are ever heard. [continues 516 words]
LOS ANGELES -- By its nature, a funeral brings the past and the present together. The burial of Jack Herer, who died April 15 in Eugene, summoned hundreds of his longtime comrades a week ago to a glorious hilltop in the San Fernando Valley, where they lay to rest a rollicking chapter in the modern marijuana movement. But the future was a mere 25 miles away at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where the fruits of Herer's life of activism went on flashy display. A huge three-day trade show for the explosively expanding business of cannabis sativa heralded what could be in store for Oregon and the nation as more states permit regulated use of marijuana and consider legalization. [continues 1004 words]
We're sure desperate times call for desperate measures. "Hey man, how 'bout a turbo-supercharger hit of revenue?" That's probably what the Oregon Legislature is thinking. Since Oregonians have approved the medical marijuana law - to heck with regulating it. Go for the money. Let's grow it. Sell it. And here's the part they all love. Tax it. Behold House Bill 3247. It takes the simple cottage industry of drug dealing to a new level. Under the guise of "providing adequate safeguards for citizens" and "moving quickly to protect patient safety," the bill puts Oregon in the pot business. The state would establish and operate a marijuana production facility. Then distribute their stash to pharmacies. Of course, there will be a $98 per ounce tax on it. [continues 197 words]
Help! There's a 23-year-old man smoking marijuana at a college party! All kidding aside, are the photos of 14-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps apparently smoking pot at a University of South Carolina party really deserving of all the media attention? Phelps has since apologized for his actions, but rather than this episode becoming a platform for parents to have frank discussions with children about drug use, its become another forum on higher moral standards for today's professional athlete. [continues 596 words]
Local police will be watching to see if a massive Washington state "black tar" heroin bust will affect the marked increase in possession of the drug in west Washington County. Cornelius Police Department Cmdr. Ed Jensen says black tar heroin had been on a decline for a long time, but over the last 10 days was seen often enough to unnerve officers. The increase could be tied to a regional drug ring that was busted by Tacoma, Wash., police Friday, March 2, Jensen said. [continues 295 words]
In August Rick Peterson was wrapping up 24 years with the Tigard Police Department as a school resource officer at Tigard High School, capping a 31-year career in law enforcement. At the same time there was a new need for a qualified Drug Abuse and Resistance Education teacher in the Hillsboro School District. The two events meshed, and Peterson has spent this school year teaching DARE classes at North Plains and Indian Hills elementary schools. Because of budget shortfalls in the Washington County Sheriff's Department, his instruction is paid for with funds raised by the schools' parent-teacher groups. [continues 348 words]
There's good news and bad news at the Washington County Sheriff's Office following the failure of the county's public safety levy renewal. The good news is: No layoffs will occur. The bad news is: Staffing levels will drop somewhat as open positions stay open longer. And some programs, like the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in county schools, will be suspended. All of these changes are effective now until November 2006, when the county is tentatively planning to ask voters again for the levy, sheriff's officials said. [continues 461 words]
They must have been smoking when they crafted amendments to the Medical Marijuana Act. When the smoke cleared, Measure 33 redefined "dispensing physician" to include nurse practitioners and naturopaths. It expanded "medical conditions" to include "any other as determined by the attending physician." It loosened up supply by creating licensed non-profit dispensaries regulated by Oregon's Department of Human Services. And the supply line needs to be loose because under this measure a user can possess up to a pound. If you're growing the stuff, you could have up to six pounds after harvest, even more with a physician's approval. [continues 57 words]
