Oregon Legalizes Cannabis Dispensaries

Oregon has legalized medical marijuana dispensaries with Gov. John Kitzhaber’s signature on House Bill 3460 Wednesday. While Oregonians for Medical Rights reports there are currently 200 dispensaries in operation in the state today, the new law will serve to license and regulate the industry.

“HB 3460 requires those facilities to register with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and meet a series of regulations to ensure compliance with the law,” Oregonians for Medical Rights said though a press release. “Those regulations include testing of medicine, restrictions on location and tracking all medical marijuana coming in and out of facilities to ensure only valid patients are receiving legally grown medical marijuana.”

Oregon legalized medical marijuana in 1998, but previously required patients and caregivers to cultivate their own medicine. The new law will go into effect March 1, 2014.