October 1st marks a historic day for the Oregon cannabis community the next step towards ending cannabis prohibition. While there is so much work to be done, today is a day for celebrating how far we have come thanks to so many hard-working advocates. I had the honor of making the first purchase at Cannabliss, a flagship Portland dispensary that has been a model for the state. Canabliss’ owner, Matt Price, is a good friend of mine and I was pleased to accept his offer to be first in line when his dispensary first allowed sales to non-patient adults.
Matt has hosted tours with public officials and has been a great representative for the cannabis industry, demonstrating the industry’s willingness to embrace sensible regulations while always caring for sick and disabled patients. Studio McDermott, KATU News and The Oregonian were both on hand to record history. The Oregonian, who has been covering marijuana legalization extensively, dedicated 20 reporters to the October 1st start of cannabis sales.
After visiting Cannabliss, I ventured over to Cannacea, a dispensary that is working to harness the full potential of the cannabis plant, breeding strains with high CBD and other medicinal cannabinoids (not just THC). People started camping out at Cannacea at midnight and there was certainly a festive atmosphere. It was an honor to address the crowd and thank them for being a part of history. Several people were very emotional, including owner Trish Siler, and got choked up from just experiencing a day that has been decades in the making. Myself and other Marijuana Politics bloggers will have more to add on the historic first day of adult-use sales of cannabis, including some video, so please stay tuned…
A photo posted by Studio McDermott (@studiomcdermott) on
Anthony Johnson
Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.
