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Marijuana initiative would allow pot sales at Ore. liquor stores

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Story Published: Jul 7, 2008 at 1:02 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jul 7, 2008 at 5:45 PM PDT
By KATU Staff Video SALEM, Ore. - Relax it and tax it.

That's the motto behind a new cannabis initiative that would allow Oregon's state-controlled liquor stores to legally sell marijuana to adults.

Initiative backers said their plan would send 90 percent of the proceeds from the state's sale of marijuana to Oregon's General Fund, which could lower Oregonians' state tax burden.

Smaller percentages would go to funding drug abuse education and treatment programs.

The initiative would also legalize the growing of hemp, a non-drug variant of cannabis that can be used to make industrial-strength fibers and bio-fuels.

Supporters claim that allowing cannabis cultivation and sales through state liquor stores would add $300 million in combined tax revenues and savings to Oregon's budget.

Paul Stanford of the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act said the measure would also put a dent in illegal dealing of the weed.

"We want to take marijuana out of the hands of children and substance abusers, who control the market today, and put it in the hands of the state's liquor control commission and the age limit of 21 will be strictly enforced," Stanford said at a press briefing.

Supporters have two years to collect nearly 83,000 signatures to get the measure on the November ballot in 2010.
bansheewail

73 responses // Marijuana initiative would allow pot sales at Ore. liquor stores

  • They want to sell joints in the liqour store. How about that for a token issue?!? It's high time that logic to seeps into the legislation. The benefits far outweigh the risks. Tax revenue will be higher and the burden of incarcerating non-violent drug offenders will become more mellow. The benefit to sick people who can't afford insurance will be a blessing from the most high. This is a smokin' idea. Go Ducks!!
    bansheewail
    2 responses to this
  • watch this comment being used here and here
    great, but why oh why at a liquor store?
    jade_azul16
    3 responses to this
  • Jade,
    High. I guess, it's the easiest way to fit the new product into the tax collection apparatus. They are going to use the system and regulations that are already in place. It's all about the money. It's a step in the right direction. From stress and pain relief to bio-mass fuels hemp and cannibus are the way to go. Take care,

    Bansheewail
    bansheewail
  • watch this comment being used here and here
    This is all the government has to do if they really wanted to put drug lords out of business
    recommended by  Marilynn_Murray
    ivxx
    1 response to this
  • We need to legalize pot like, 38 years ago!

    Prohibition of Pot, much like prohibition of alcohol in the U.S. and other places (where it has led to revolt), will not last.

    I was hoping for something a little sooner though... They have to get all those signatures to be placed on the ballot and that isn't till 2010! Why can't they just legalize TODAY?
    oahspe
  • one step closer!
    xplayhousex
  • That's all well and good, but what about the rest of the country? It is a natural substance that is way less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.
    huffamoose2k
  • I agree. Weed was easier to get as a child than tobacoo or boozes. Set the age limit to 21 and inforce it strictly with large fines. Take the power and money back from the black market and invest it in treatment and education.
    cleansouth
    1 response to this
  • This will do wonders for lowering their crime rate. It might even curb binge drinking in young adults. A lot more than pot will be affected by this in a good way.
    piperpicked
  • this seems like a great idea to me. prisons are filled with first time drug offenders, many of them with possession of marijuana. legalizing it would help with the recession and cut down on overcrowded prisons. if oregon starts this trend, hopefully more states will follow.
    recommended by  Marilynn_Murray
    subversivelyhere
    1 response to this
  • Smartness starts somewhere...two thumbs up!
    pokesmot
  • Alcohol rules the land and fills the courts with all sorts of ethanol fueled crimes. Weed on the other hand?? Study the history of drug laws, especially, California and San Francisco and you will quickly see they were spawned from fear and egocentrism not a pure desire to protect people from themselves which always fails. It's a long road of failures and contradictions powered by a desire to control people and wealth. That's what's up.
    TDubs
  • Oregon just boosted their population by 300,000.....and one...
    NaCl
  • Sweet! Finally an initiative that has a shot. I was most disappointed by the recent California one which turned out to be nothing more than a silly libertarian manifesto. This new initiative just might pass the test.
    recommended by  uroborus8
    Technobarde
  • 21! thats bull. it should be 18.
    JLAZ
    1 response to this
  • Are the federal marijuana laws still based on excise tax? Stranger things have happened.
    CaptSutter
  • i'm so happy to see this, though i am very concerned about the federal response to this. look at how the feds have interfered with the voter approved pot laws in california. will we just see a repeat in oregon, or will the federal government finally acknowledge the states' rights?
    edbr
  • The entire country should follow Oregon's lead.
    dedemetal
  • I will move to Oregon if this happens.

    Damn

    did I just make myself look like a pot head with that statement?
    ikeula75
    1 response to this
  • Please don't let the states liquor control commision be in charge of the sales and regulations of marijuana. Liquor and marijuana are two different classifications of controlled substances. This would be like selling childrens toys in an adult sex shop...thers just no reason that the two should have to be sold side by side. Give Marijuana some credit (don't make it stoop down to the level of liquor) and give the cannabis smokers their own store.
    northstar13
    2 responses to this
  • Stop and pick up a six pack of joints on your way home. Way to go Oregon. Get er done!
    Marilynn_Murray
  • this initiative will never pass
    cheyroze
  • I think this is great, but I'm wondering... how can a schedule one drug be sold at a liquor store? any insight anyone? I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade with technicalities, I'm just really curious..
    elisealcyone
  • If you don't think it will pass you are underestimating the people of Oregon's ability to think. It's actually a good thing that it wont be on the ballot until 2010 because they will have time to inform everyone about it and let it settle in a bit before people go out to make their final decision.
    TopScruffy
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here and here
    According to two cops, my car smells like pot and I have never smoked in it . If this passes then what are cops going to use as an excuse to seach your car? You smell like pills?
    pigmonkey
  • Smoke 'em if you got 'em and ball til you fall!
    damush
  • As long as it is regulated and controlled like alcohol I don't see a problem, last thing we need is drunk and stoned people out driving =/
    rabidlemur
  • Grow your own it's cheaper
    Enjoy_Cannabis
  • 21 is an overkill
    piff
    2 responses to this
  • It's funny to think on how fighting the war on drugs could possibly be reduced if we just legalize pot already. People who smoke it are going to get it anyways....why doesn't the gov't just make money off of that too? It could be a new busniess..."Oh Jessica, what do you do for a living"? "Oh you know, farming".
    It would become ordinary, and eventually not a big deal anymore. (Go Oregon) (Go Oregon Farmers) New generations bring new life.
    currentlyJessica
  • Love the idea but I fear the federal government will react the same way as they did to medical marijuana store fronts in LA. They raided them, confiscated all their supply and put many out of business. Would the liquor store owners be protected from the same treatment?
    Hellssatans
  • I think we will see a lot more of this because our gov. pattend weed few years back.
    Prijedor
    2 responses to this
  • how much would the weed cost? how would the quality be? and how much would they sell to you? those are the important questions
    edenfiu
  • well pot certainly isn't worse than cigarettes which have been proven to cause cancer, and we all know governments will do many things for more money and more taxes, so I'm really not very surprised that this law is being considered
    theoccult
  • cool hit that and pass it around.
    DELAMOTA
  • Marijuanna and drugs should be legalized already, quit wasting money on the DEA and let the local cops find some real employment besides jailing some pot smokers who are harmless and hurting no one and have every right to enjoy a little mother nature.
    Robroy1
  • Just when you thought Oregon couldn't grow-I mean go any greener. WOW, how thrilling. Yet 1 more state hoping to realize the tax revenue, health benefits & judicial cost savings for legalizing a wonderful weed. Congratulations!

    But hopefully Massachusetts is going to beat you to it, ultimately benefiting Oregon, because we will finally vote in November ’08 not only for president, but also to decriminalize ganja by checking yes or no. This is like the end of Prohibition for us now! Not to mention the boom for hemp farming & all of its wonderful sustainable uses that couldn’t have come along at a better time.
    darkhorsejim
  • oregon needs to market marijuana like our gop markets war. liquor store becomes freedom store, and grow the freedom marijuana at the freedom farms.
    deane
  • liquor stores, the next career of choice.