Gosh, a Lot of Goofy Stuff Happened in Oregon After Weed Became Legal

The sky hasn't fallen. But everything got pretty strange in one year.

It seems like only yesterday that recreational marijuana became legal in Oregon. In fact, it's been exactly one year.

A quick memory jog: Oregon voters legalized recreational pot in November 2014, but it wasn't until last July 1 that the new law kicked in, allowing people to carry an ounce of marijuana in a pocket or grow four plants in a home.

Today, the backers of cannabis legalization crowed at a successful anniversary.

"Clearly, the sky hasn't fallen as Oregon has benefited from the new jobs and revenue," said Anthony Johnson, director of New Approach Oregon, in a fundraising email. "Oregon can be proud of being a true trailblazer."

But just because legal weed hasn't been a disaster doesn't mean it's been uneventful. Consider all the things that happened:

Teenage dealers kept slinging tree from bicycles.

A lady on North Mississippi Avenue invented cannabis-infused bitters.

A Republican brought us recreational marijuana sales on Oct. 1.

Marijuana business owners realized the IRS would grab most of their profits.

Hillary Clinton took max donations from pot farmers.

We went to every dispensary in Portland.

A lawyer started compiling a list of every elected official in the state who voted against legalization.

Cascadia Labs tested a batch of White Super Skunk with 29.72 percent THC.

Two of the state's best-known marijuana advocates were sued for allegedly setting up a marijuana grow that didn't exist.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission cracked down on a nightclub for allegedly selling beer while serving weed.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated True North Extracts after the sheriff shut it down.

Gold Beach opened a weed drive-thru. Portland banned weed drive-thrus.

The Portland Development Commission went to court trying to keep marijuana out of a building it financed.

We got high with our parents.

We grew weed on our roof.

The Trail Blazers won a playoff series.

Edibles and extracts became available to everybody.

Big Marijuana arrived in Oregon. And promptly sued somebody.

The founder of the Berggruen Institute helped buy $26 million in weed warehouses.

Willamette Week

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.