Thousands gather in Portland as Oregon eases into legal weed
The Legislature is on track to approve temporary sales through the existing medical marijuana dispensary system, beginning Oct. 1.
More than 70,000 people have state-issued medical marijuana cards.
Police earlier discouraged residents from calling 911 to report instances of public consumption, which they said failed to constitute an emergency.
In southwest Oregon, a prime outdoor cultivation region, legalization came with growers anticipating January, when they're expected to be able to start applying for licenses to grow for the retail trade.
Over the past six months, Jackson County Building Services has received 17 complaints about marijuana growers violating land-use laws, Director Kelly Madding said.
"With the legalization of recreational marijuana, I think that we are seeing a move to our area by people who may be from out of state, out of the area, who don't really know or understand our land-use laws and our environmental protections," she said.