Prepping for Pot

Read the entire article from The Source Weekly

As legalization approaches, Bendites consider the implications

Matthew Grimes

Prepping for Marijuana Legalization

Were the legalization of weed a pregnancy, with its conception marked during the month before the election and its due date July 1, the day that pot is officially legal in Oregon, we’d be entering the third trimester. The nursery walls would be painted, the crib built, the cabinet filled with diapers and onesies.

But how is Bend preparing for the stork’s pending delivery?

It depends where you look. Preparations range from proactive to pensive to practically unconcerned.

The City: Laissez-faire

Though Measure 91 did not create an allowance for cities to impose their own taxes on recreational marijuana, many municipalities passed taxing ordinances anyway. The hope being that the State Legislature will grandfather them in. In fact, according to theOregonian, some 70 towns and cities—including Redmond, La Pine and Madras—passed a weed tax before election day and are now crossing their fingers that the state legislature will let them collect some 15 percent of marijuana revenues.

But Bend was not one of those cities—and may miss out on additional funding for its police department and schools if the state grandfathers in pre-election local taxes.

Under the structure laid out by Measure 91, an excise tax is to be paid at the grower level to the tune of $35 an ounce for flower, $10 an ounce for leaves, and $5 per immature plant. According to the voter’s pamphlet, that’s estimated to bring in anywhere from $17 million to $40 million annually. The bulk of those revenues (40 percent) will go to the Common School Fund. The remainder will go to Mental Health, Alcoholism and Drug Services (20 percent), State Police (15 percent), city enforcement of the measure (10 percent), county enforcement of the measure (10 percent) and the Oregon Health Authority For Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (5 percent).

Still, just because Bend City Council chose not to pursue a local pot tax doesn’t mean the City has been ignoring legalization.

“The City has been aware of this upcoming change and discussing it for some time,” says City Manager Eric King. He goes on to explain that city councilors and staff including attorneys, human resources, the planning department and Bend Police officials have been engaged in research and attended conferences on the subject.

Yet despite all this “education,” City staff and Council have declined to take any specific actions and instead are taking a hands-off approach.

“There has been no Council direction to develop any regulations on marijuana,” King says. “Bend’s not working on establishing a marijuana tax or any type of ban. The Council has reiterated that the State has authority on this issue. OLCC [Oregon Liquor Control Commission] is the responsible agent.”

King does say, though, that there are some areas that will require clarification, such as driving under the influence and zoning issues.

“The main concern the City has is that there is a lack of clarity about what constitutes impaired driving. There’s no meter or blood test, so it’ll have to be observed,” he says, adding that there are currently a “handful” of police officers trained in recognizing when someone is driving under the influence of marijuana.

When it comes to land use, the City is waiting on the State Legislature to fill in some of the blanks in the ballot measure—specifically with regard to the zoning and density of commercial marijuana business. Once it does, staff will have a better idea of how to manage zoning and other issues related to the establishment of retail operations.

“At this time, medical marijuana establishments are treated like medical clinics, and allowed in commercial zones. State regulations require they have 1,000-foot buffers from schools,” King explains. “We expect there will be similar regulations from the state for recreational marijuana establishments, and we can address their locations in our zoning code.”

But, on the whole, he says he feels the City is on track, and prepared for the legalization of recreational pot, even though many cities in Oregon are pressuring the legislature for greater local control.

Tourism: Not Gonna Cultivate It!

Once retail shops start to pop up, and perhaps even sooner, Oregon will no doubt become an increasingly attractive destination for weed lovers. And Bend—with its already vibrant medicinal marijuana market, high density of reggae-loving snowboarders, and established craft beer scene—seems prime for weed tourism.

But if a Weed Walk or Pot Path are destined to follow in the footsteps of the popularAle Trail, Visit Bend hasn’t started drafting that. Instead, the tourism agency’s Executive Director Doug La Placa is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“It’s difficult to predict what, if any, impact the legalization of recreational marijuana will have on Bend’s tourism industry,” La Placa explains. “My initial thought is that there are other cities in Oregon that are much better positioned to capitalize on the potential of weed tourism.”

Bend, he says, already has “dozens of other compelling reasons to visit”—such as the craft beer culture and strong summer and winter sports scenes. And while tourism agencies don’t typically turn away potential visitors, La Placa posits that weed tourism is too risky.

“I don’t think the inevitable controversy that would erupt over a publicly-funded marijuana tourism marketing campaign is worth the likely negligible economic upside for the industry,” La Placa explains. “If another tourism marketing organization feels differently, they can cultivate the opportunity. Visit Bend isn’t going to touch it.”

He says he recognizes that marijuana tourism can serve as a source of economic stimulus, particularly for cities without another tourist attraction. For Bend, however, La Placa says it’s not the city’s best bet.

“At this point, we have no plans to promote Bend as a recreational marijuana destination,” La Placa affirms. “We don’t have any moral or ethical problem with it, we just don’t see it as a leading competitive advantage for Bend’s tourism industry.”

Grow Shops: Ready for business

Bend has no shortage of garden centers, indoor grow shops and hydroponic outfitters. And while they are typically discreet about the extent to which their customers may be growing pot, as opposed to heirloom tomatoes, it’s no secret that these shops have what the small-scale grower needs.

“Definitely a large percentage—possibly 80 percent or more—of our business is related to marijuana growing, but most people are pretty quiet about what they are growing,” says Corey Spurlock with Green Leaf Garden Center.

He adds that while Green Leaf doesn’t current provide specific advice on growing marijuana—after all, many of the shop’s products could be used to grow garden veggies, flowers, or indoor houseplants—he sees that changing with the legalization of recreational marijuana.

“I see our business growing substantially with the upcoming change in laws. We are already getting calls and questions from people wanting to buy equipment they will need to get started with the allowed four plants,” Spurlock says. “While we do have some larger commercial customers, the majority of our business is from smaller, personal sized gardens by people that are growing presumably for themselves and/or their OMMP [Oregon Medical Marijuana Program] card holders.”

To cater to those individuals interested in growing for personal recreational use, Green Leaf has already started advertising a starter kit of sorts, with everything a new grower would need to get growing—including a small grow tent, ballast, light, ventilation, timer, and environmental controller.

In addition to bundling supplies, Spurlock says Green Leaf plans to offer classes for folks just getting started.

“We will be planning these types of activities in the future as needed, depending on the influx of new growers,” he says. “Our staff is very educated on plant growth in general and the basics apply to all plants, not just marijuana.”

While Spurlock expects that more grow shops will emerge to take advantage of this growing industry, he says he welcomes competition and hopes that legalization will help smaller local businesses thrive.

“Personally, the biggest challenge that I foresee is the stigma that marijuana is a bad evil drug—the reefer madness mentality. That and the fear of it still being federally illegal,” Spurlock says. “As far as opportunities, I think the sky is the limit. It is the fastest growing industry in the United States right now.”

And while he says he’s not much of a pot-smoker himself, he hopes that legalization will inspire a broader conversation on not only the medicinal, but also the economic benefits of marijuana.

“I’d like people to have an open mind regarding the future of marijuana,” he says.

Labs: Cannibis Chemistry

Whether recreational marijuana stokes the fire of Bend’s tourism industry, it’s likely to turn up the Bunsen burner on emerging cannabis testing labs, like Bend-basedCannAlytical Research.

The local lab currently tests cannabis and its derivatives for potency, strain and the presence of undesirable elements such as microbes, pesticides, and residual solvent. These testing services are required under Oregon’s medical marijuana law, and it’s expected that the State Legislature will enact similar testing requirements for recreational pot.

“If recreational cannabis is required to be tested, and we certainly believe it should, then yes, of course, we expect an increase in business,” says Carlos Cummings, CannAlytical Research’s owner. “We also expect many new entries to this burgeoning market, including new labs.”

In anticipation of increasing demand for marijuana testing services, CannAlytical Research is increasing its staff and upgrading its laboratory.

“We have hired a scientist, we’re currently interviewing analytical chemists, and we have a new HPLC [high performance liquid chromatography], to better and more efficiently analyze and research cannabis in our lab,” Cummings says.

That said, Cummings expects only a slight bump in business on July 1, anticipating that the real action will take place sometime in 2016.

“It will take the OLCC and the State quite a bit longer to write the laws that will govern recreational cannabis and for the recreational market to become established,” Cummings explains. “We do not expect a significant increase in testing until perhaps after recreational dispensaries are actually open.”

Still, he is looking to the future now. He anticipates new labs opening up and the stricter regulation of the credentials of testing staff, such as requiring lab supervisors to hold advanced degrees in chemistry.

“The main challenge is controlling the burgeoning recreational market and protecting the established medical program,” Cummings adds. “Legalization has so many potential benefits, I almost don’t know where to begin; taxes for our community and social programs, awareness, education, research, and understanding of a miraculous plant, financial gain across our economy and classes, better soils, air, water, well being and health, and the cure for cancer, etc.”

While the jury is still out on if and how medical and recreational establishments might interact with one another, he says he wants to be sure that recreational weed enhances rather than threatens medical marijuana.

“As cannabis regulation moves forward at the recreational level, the OMMP program should also be strengthened,” he says. “Patients should have access to medicine-grade cannabis for their ailments and diseases.”

Schools and Parents:

Let’s talk about drugs

While much of the preparations for legal weed are focused on the business side of the equation, some are gearing up for a defensive effort aimed at keeping marijuana out of the hands of children.

In some ways, it’s a continuation of the work already being done. The fact that weed will be legal for adults 18 and over isn’t likely to change the core message from schools and drug awareness campaigners—that drug and alcohol use are illegal for minors and come with real risks.

“The District does not foresee significant changes in the educational content or approach to drug education based on the legalization of marijuana,” explains incoming Bend-La Pine superintendent Shay Mikalson. “Currently, education focuses on the harmful effects of a number of drugs and substances, legal and illegal, from a health and wellness standpoint.”

He points out that the curriculum currently covers the “harmful effects and dangers” of alcohol, which is, of course, legal for adults over 21. When students return to school post-legalization in the fall, however, marijuana will likely be highlighted.

“As marijuana becomes legalized, and access to it changes as edibles and other forms continue to grow in their accessibility, it is likely that teachers will seek to educate students on the harmful effects and dangers of this soon-to-be-legal drug,” Mikalson explains.

But it’s not just children that are being primed for increased weed education. At the OLCC’s marijuana listening session in Bend, a number of attendees emphasized the importance of educating parents so they can help keep pot out of their kids’ hands.

“Education is paramount, especially of parents,” says Barbara Stoefen, who serves on the board of the Shared Future Coalition and speaks in local schools on preventing and responding to drug addiction. “Parents need to fully understand the risks that marijuana poses for their children, and that it is indeed addictive for some.”

And while she believes that the drug education in local middle and high schools is adequate, she says it could go further toward providing youth with concrete tools to avoid drugs.

“We tell kids not to engage in certain activities and behaviors, but don’t offer them the necessary tools. ‘Just say no’ doesn’t work and is not a solution,” Stoefen says. “Another coalition of which I’m a board member, the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, has a youth advisory committee that is putting the finishing touches on a video to teach drug refusal skills to teens. We are also in the early stages of developing a website exclusively for teens.”

She says she hopes these projects will be up and running by the time school starts again in the fall. Another thing Stoefen, whose own daughter battled with addiction, would like to see is more resources for students who are experiencing addiction personally, or being impacted by the addiction of a family member.

“Drug abuse and addiction exists in more families than most people realize, and children raised in these homes are highly stressed and at greater risk for addiction themselves,” she explains. “It would be incredible to have weekly support groups for at-risk students, providing an opportunity for them to develop coping skills.”

Ultimately, Stoefen says she does not believe Bend is ready for legal weed, but has some ideas about how it could get there. While it’s impossible to anticipate every possible outcome, she says, more time and resources could go into developing a solid, community- based plan.

“There is no question this new law will change Bend, and it will change Oregon. Are we ready? Oh my goodness, no. The logistics of implementing a new law like this, and the ripple effects, will be far reaching,” Stoefen explains. “We as a city need to be vigilant about doing the best job possible with implementation. Much will be required of our City leaders and a task force could prove very helpful.”

Monthly Newsletter

Positive Vibrations December Newsletter

December 3, 2014 Gregory

Howdy and Welcome to the “Positive Vibrations” December Newsletter

And let me wish you an early “Merry Christmas“ and Happy New Year, to you and your families. Oh Gee look who’s here with his regular bag of cheer, he forgot a few stops last year but says he will get it right this year, he will try a different Strain. 😆

Choosing The Right Cannabis Strain to Grow

If you have limited height, selecting a plant that finishes at a reasonable size while giving you the qualities you desire should be near the top of your list. Pure Indica strains like many Afghanilandraces tend to stay very tight in growth, with effects typically being more physical.

Areas with strict plant counts typically require growers to finish plants at a larger size to keep medicine on hand in a quantity that suits the patient’s needs. In these situations, vertical height was taken care of in site selection, and a variety that grows big quickly becomes a strong part of the selection process. Some plants take two or three times longer to gain enough stature prior to the budding phase to yield the same quantities as others.

growing cannabis

Sativa dominant strains (ex. Haze or Thai varieties) can get huge fast. During vegetation, the spacing between budding sites can be wide compared to Indicas. Lots of light gets in the plant canopy and there is less trimming labor required at harvest – they can fill out very large with heavy yields. If space is tight, it’s better to avoid Sativa growth traits in your selection.

“Consider your needs carefully and work backwards to your strain selections from there.”

The typical solution for most growers rests in hybrid strains – balanced crosses of desired sativa and indica traits. Some popular hybrids that have surfaced in recent years include Candyland, Platinum Cookies, and Grand Daddy Purple.

It’s recommended that you dedicate the first crop to selecting a mother plant to clone from seed. Some crosses will be more stable than others with seed, and a wide variety can mean a wider array of choices you can make for traits you desire (effects, yield, growth habits, etc.). Once a selection is made, you have your very own strain for as long as you maintain the mother plant.

Still, some patients require more consistent and immediate results. Clones or feminized seeds are a solid choice in this case, given that they are from reputable sources. From here, growers can go straight into bud production if the plants perform as anticipated in terms of size, growth habits, and harvest qualities.

Consider your needs carefully and work backwards to your strain selections from there. If you do, you’ll spend more time kicking back and enjoying you home-grown medicinal relief, rather than battling trying to make your strain selection fit like a round peg in a square hole.

Thanks to Erik Biksa for this article and MedicalJane.com for their platform.

Watch my next blog for Strains that Heal.

Blog, Monthly Newsletter

Positive Vibrations Medical Marijuana Dispensary. “November Newsletter”

November 6, 2014November 6, 2014 Gregory

Howdy and Welcome to the first Positive Vibrations Blog

We are Very Happy that our very first Blog happens to fall on the same day as Oregon Passes the Recreational Marijuana Bill last night.

I’m sure everyone has heard by now that the Recreational Marijuana Bill has Passed, great news for the People of the State of Oregon. Congratulations All.

“Ya Hooooooooooo !!! and Congratulations to All”

Taken from the Oregonian

Oregon joins Washington state and Colorado, the first states to legalize pot for recreational use in 2012. Earlier in the night, Washington, D.C., voters approved a measure allowing residents to possess and grow — but not sell — marijuana. Alaska voters were also considering legalization Tuesday.

Oregon’s Measure 91 took elements from both the Washington and Colorado laws and was primarily financed by out-of-state donors and groups seeking national reform of drug laws. The Yes on 91 campaign collected about $4 million, compared to less than $200,000 raised by the No on 91 effort.

Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis, who opposed marijuana legalization, called the race a “David vs. Goliath.” He said Oregonians aren’t likely to see much of a difference when it comes to law enforcement, which already views marijuana as a low priority.

“Marijuana was very low on the priority list in Oregon,” he said. “And now it will essentially be totally crossed off.”

The measure, which will not take effect until July 1, 2015, allows adults 21 and older to possess 1 ounce in public and up to 8 ounces at home, as well as a variety of other marijuana-infused products.

2014 Midterms: Jeff Mapes and Noelle Crombie analyze Measure 91’s winThe Oregonian’s Jeff Mapes and Noelle Crombie analyze what the passage of Measure 91 means for the future of marijuana in Oregon.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will get the job of regulating marijuana production and sales. Tax revenue generated by marijuana will go to public schools; mental health and addiction services; law enforcement; and the Oregon Health Authority. Using marijuana in public or while driving will be prohibited. Current medical marijuana laws won’t change.

Oregon voters rejected marijuana legalization two years ago, and sponsors of Measure 91 hoped this year’s version would be seen as having more regulatory controls than what was on the ballot in 2012.

Unlike the 2012 marijuana initiative, which failed by six percentage points, Measure 91 had a large advertising budget that featured, among others, a retired judge, a retired deputy sheriff and a former top drug addictions official for the state. The campaign deliberately stayed away from any hints of the marijuana culture, even using colors in their signs that avoided any hint of green.

Opponents seized on the wide array of marijuana products — ranging from pot-laced gummy bears to sugary sodas containing the drug – for sale in Colorado that they said were aimed at enticing youthful consumers.

The measure is “about creating a big marijuana industry,” said Mandi Puckett, a drug education worker who headed the No on 91 campaign.

According to incomplete returns, Measure 91 benefited from overwhelming support in Multnomah County, home to about 20 percent of expected voters statewide.

Ethan Nadelmann, whose organization Drug Policy Alliance was a major funder of the Oregon measure, called the win “fantastic news,” particularly since it came during a year when a presidential election wasn’t on the ballot.

Conventional wisdom suggested waiting until 2016, but Nadelmann’s group pushed ahead this year despite concerns about low voter turnout.

“It’s just a fantastic victory, all the more so because it’s in a non-presidential election year,” Nadelmann said. “I think it bodes very well for 2016 and the years beyond.”

Kevin Sabet, a high-profile opponent of marijuana legalization who traveled to Oregon twice this year with an anti-pot message, said the Measure 91 results mean cannabis opponents need to get even more serious in 2016.

“We are going to redouble our efforts,” he said. “We can now get very serious with potential donors and supporters about how important 2016 is.”

He said opponents will continue to press their case as Oregon drafts rules for the recreational pot industry.

“Even in Oregon the conversation is not over,” he said. “We are going to make sure we are watching the marijuana industry and make sure they don’t get everything they want. This conversation about marijuana is just beginning. It’s certainly not ending.”

Oregon Measure 91 Passes, Oregon Legalizes Recreational Marijuana

Thank you to theweedblog.com

According to multiple media sources, people close to the campaign, and veteran activists in Oregon, Oregon Measure 91 has passed, making Oregon the third state to legalize marijuana. As a lifelong Oregonian, this is a day I have dreaming of for a long, long time. No longer will I have to live in fear of prosecution for consuming a plant that is safer than tobacco and alcohol. No longer will I have to see my friends get arrested for marijuana, especially my minority friends. After multiple attempts, and after a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, Oregon has legalized marijuana.

Wait until 2016 they said. 2014 won’t work they said. Voters rejected marijuana legalization in 2012, so 2014 won’t work either they said. Well ‘they’ can continue to think whatever they want. I will never forget right after Colorado legalized marijuana I was in Denver with a lot of members of the industry and some very high profile organization leaders. I witnessed the two initiators of Measure 91 tell one of those prominent organization leaders their intentions on running a legalization initiative in Oregon in 2014. That organization leader told them that if they waited until 2016, he would offer up his organization’s support. But if they went for 2014 defying his orders…he they ran his thumb across his throat as if to indicate that he would kill it. I wonder how that person fells right now…

The fact of the matter is ‘they’ were all wrong. People who said Oregon couldn’t do it in a midterm election don’t understand Oregon. It’s something I’ve pointed out over and over. For starters, Oregon has a very high voter turnout, even in midterm elections, compared to other states. That’s largely due to the fact that we allow vote by mail here. Also, Oregon elects its Governor in midterm elections, and considering how much both parties need to win the Governor race in Oregon, I knew that they would be doing everything they can to get people to vote, which helped Oregon Measure 91 no doubt. Are Presidential elections better? Of course. But are they so much better in Oregon that we needed to hold off and see tens of thousands more people arrested for marijuana? Nope. Below is a reaction from Tom Angell, the head of Marijuana Majority:

“With Oregon and D.C. coming on board, it’s clear that Colorado and Washington voting to legalize in 2012 was no anomaly. The trend is clear: Marijuana prohibition is coming to an end. As 2016 approaches, we can expect to see many more ambitious national politicians finally trying to win support from the cannabis constituency instead of ignoring and criminalizing us.”

Let Oregon be a lesson to other states. If you have a chance to win on Election Day, go for it, no matter what election year it is. Marijuana prohibition is wrong, and any year that it can be defeated is a year worth trying for. Oregonians will still have to wait awhile until they can legally possess 8 ounces of flower, and grow up to 4 plants per household. However, if Oregon is like Washington and Colorado, enforcement could be suspended any day, as there’s no point in busting someone for something that will be legal soon. Implementation of the legal limits should be July 1, 2015. Stores will take a bit longer, but the delay shouldn’t be as long as it was in Washington. From my friends at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition:

Oregon’s Measure 91, to legalize, regulate and control marijuana, though predicted to be a tight race, won by a handy margin in a race called by the Oregonian early in the night. The new regulatory system will be overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, in consultation with the State Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Health Authority and will allow adults over 21 to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana and grow up to four plants. DUI and public consumption will still be illegal and localities may ban marijuana businesses through ballot measures. Revenue from the measure will first go to oversight of the industry and then to schools, mental health and drug treatment services, and local and state law enforcement.

Results for Measure 2 in Alaska, the other initiative to legalize, regulate and control marijuana have yet to come in.

“Having spent years as a prosecutor, I know that Oregon will benefit greatly from regulating marijuana, and that the example set here will influence future states in 2015 and beyond,” said Former Assistant State’s Attorney and Oregon resident Inge Fryklund.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is a 501(c)3 nonprofit of cops, prosecutors, judges and other law enforcement officials who want to end the war on drugs.

I’ve never been prouder to be an Oregonian than I am right now. This is a truly historic day for Oregon, and I hope that adding my home state to the list of legal states will help build momentum for every other state that is sure to follow. A special thank you to Anthony and Travis for making this happen. I remember meeting you guys a couple of years ago and you expressing to me your desires to end marijuana prohibition in Oregon. That lunch meeting conversation at Bottles has become a reality, and I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. I still reserve the right to talk trash to you guys like you know I like to do, but know that no matter what I say, I bow to your guys’ activism skills! I want to thank everyone else from the campaign, the donors, volunteers, everyone that voted yes on 91, everyone else that made the victory possible, and especially my main man Jay Smoker, whose contributions to Measure 91’s victory will probably never be properly recognized or praised, but as a witness to the behind the scenes, I can honestly say that he deserves to celebrate this victory as much as anyone. I LOVE BEING AN OREGONIAN!!! VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!

“Welcome to “Positive Vibrations”

“Medical Marijuana Dispensary”

We have submitted for and received our “Oregon Medical Marijuana License”

through The State of Oregon. We are currently Waiting for the City of North Bend City Council to lift the Moratorium that is set in place until February 11 2015. We are in a holding pattern until then.

We started Positive Vibrations Medical Marijuana Dispensary almost a year ago.

We are dedicated to getting the best quality medicine for our local and out of area patients, we have been working with experts in the Medical Marijuana Community to learn all of the many aspects of this new Industry.

The people of Oregon know that this plant is not dangerous that is why they passed the law to allow the Medical use, and again why they passed laws and regulations to allow Dispensaries because they saw the need for Quality and pest free medicine for the patients enrolled in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program or aka OMMP.

Our Governments, State, Local, and Federal are watching very closely to what is happening in Washington and Colorado, and this will further regulate the Industry and many changes will occur in the near future, but for now we we strike a vote for change in the Positive way people are looking at what once was thought to be a Dangerous drug.

The Federal Government still lists Marijuana as a schedule 1 Drug right along side Heroine, Cocaine and Methamphetamine, but with the Positive change sentiment of the entire nation we will eventually see this change, soon enough the real truth will come out about the benefits of Marijuana and the oil it produces, but for now we have gained a few of the rights back that were denied for years.

Thank You and Positive Vibrations to you All 😆

Medical Marijuana Dispensary.