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JOSEPHINE COUNTY Josephine County dispensaries slow to jump into retail marijuana sales By Sean Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Sean Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Jul. 25, 2015 @ 2:00 am By Sean Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Jul. 25, 2015 @ 2:00 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Only one medical marijuana dispensary in Josephine County says for sure it will sell marijuana to the general public come Oct. 1. "It's going to be a good thing," said Lee Miller, co-owner of Sacred Flower Medicinals in Selma, which plans to start recreational sales on Oct. 1. Recreational sales at dispensaries came about during the final, chaotic days of the 2015 Oregon Legislature, when lawmakers approved Senate Bill 460 as a hedge against black-market sales. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is not expected to issue retail licenses until late 2016, despite the fact that recreational marijuana use became legal on July 1. Gov. Kate Brown has yet to sign the bill but is expected to do so. Her spokesman, Chris Pair, said SB460 is currently undergoing a legal review. Brown has until Aug. 16 to sign it, or until Aug. 10 to veto it, Pair said. She already has signed legislation codifying Measure 91, the historic initiative that legalized recreational marijuana. Four other local dispensaries are undecided about retail sales, although two of them are leaning in that direction, according to a check by the Daily Courier. Cheryl Keil, co-owner of the MOM and PAPA dispensaries in Kerby and Cave Junction, respectively, said she was "pretty sure" her shops will sell to recreational users — those without a medical card issued under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Operators of dispensaries in Murphy and near Grants Pass were undecided. Part of the reluctance may stem from the evolving nature of marijuana acceptance and the fact that dispensaries for medical marijuana became legal themselves only a year ago. State Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, says retail dispensary sales will keep users from turning to the black market. He was one of only a handful of Republicans in the House who voted for the measure allowing recreational sales at dispensaries. "Much of it had to do with the fact that, as of July 1, people are getting their marijuana somewhere," Wilson explained. "We decided to pass the bill so people will buy the legal stuff." State Sen. Herman Baertschiger Jr. voted against the sales measure, saying it was drafted in haste and without significant input. "There's not a lot of detail," he said Friday. "It's very broad." Retail dispensary sales are being viewed as a temporary measure until the Oregon Liquor Control Commission develops permanent rules. Regulations might be rolled out late next year. Last fall, voters approved Measure 91 allowing the recreational use of marijuana as of July 1. The law allows personal possession for anyone 21 or older of up to one ounce of marijuana and up to eight ounces at home. Use is restricted to private places. Miller, who opened his dispensary last year and threw a music festival two weeks ago celebrating legalization, said the changes can't come fast enough. He'd just as soon start selling now to the average Joe. "I think it's kind of ridiculous they're waiting until October," he said. "The dry season's right now. Nobody's going to want pot come October. Everybody's crop is coming in October. It's flooded." People can buy pot cheaper on the black market, Miller said. And the price of the legal stuff will go even higher on Jan. 4, when a new 25 percent tax on the sale of recreational pot takes effect. The governor signed that legislation, House Bill 2041, on Monday. "It's going to be real interesting to see how this whole thing will play out," Miller said. "I think it will take a few years to work out the kinks." The state has approved nine dispensaries in Josephine County, with two more applications pending. However, only five are known by the Daily Courier to be in operation. The state keeps the locations confidential, unless dispensary operators wish them published. Keil, who co-owns the dispensaries Mainstreaming Our Medicine (MOM) in Kerby and Providing All Patients Access (PAPA) in Cave Junction, said legalization will create jobs, keep people out of jail and raise tax revenue to treat "real drug addicts."   By Sean Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Sean Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Jul. 25, 2015 @ 2:00 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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