Local Activism for Marijuana Politics Heats up As local governments scramble to adopt new measures and regulations to determine how marijuana growing and retailing will look in each city and county, citizens are rushing to participate. Recent city and county hearings seem to be the social highlight of the week these days. So

On a planet, not too different than ours, a young girl’s parents are gardeners. They grow a special plant many revere for its medicinal properties, as well as for the way it makes them “feel silly,” but  the “Kings” think it is bad. And so is the story of “The

It’s a little different for the ladies. At the most basic level, women’s bodies react differently. THC, stored in body fat, sticks around in women’s bodies a bit longer, making it easier for women to build a tolerance. Beyond that, for a long time, the black market marijuana industry has

The numbers don’t lie. With recreational sales of marijuana in Oregon smashing Colorado and Washington’s first week records, the word on the street is that dispensaries across the state are struggling to keep up with demand. Which most likely means, even with the explosion of new gardens this summer, there

Fall harvest in Southern Oregon is here, full force. With no rain expected in the next while, it appears that a long, warm dry fall is ahead. Which bodes well for a fruitful harvest. It also means that the Valley is filling up with people that are ready get to

When the OLCC come to Southern Oregon University for its listening session, one of the final speakers to address the panel looked positively terrified as he approached the mic. “I’m concerned about whether criminal records will make it harder or make it so people can’t pass through the licensing,” he

In the words of Joan Rivers: “can we talk?” Though the fight for restorative justice in the wake of the drug war isn’t done—especially in Eastern Oregon—the writing’s on the wall for marijuana prohibition. Measure 91 is rolling along, other states are following suit, and dispensaries will soon be able

  A central claim by cities around Oregon looking to rush backwards on marijuana, including Medford and Grants Pass, is that regulation—even banning—was required to regulate the offensive odor of marijuana. The absurdity of the claim was lampooned in May by Peter Walters of Pendleton, who wrote a letter to

Measure 91 legalized recreational marijuana in Oregon effective July 1, 2015, but that doesn’t mean the marijuana festival was born on the first of July; it just means they might be a little different now. In the wake of the law change, the Oregon Smoke Fest, a musical celebration of

A consistent reason cited by local politicians attempting to go backwards on marijuana legalization is a desire to boost tourism. But they have it entirely backwards: pot is an opportunity for tourism, not an obstacle. After legalization, Colorado found that approximately 40 percent of sales were to non-residents. Unlike Colorado,