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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Haggen adds Ashland store to list of closures ... Attacker's no-show at sentencing leaves victim without closure ... Monical sentenced to 32 years in federal bank robbery case ... Haggen adds Ashland store to list of closures ... Attacker's no-show at sentencing leaves victim without closure ... Monical sentenced to 32 years in federal bank robbery case ... LEGISLATURE Oregon House passes bill modeling new marijuana industry Comment By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted Jun. 24, 2015 at 6:25 PM By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted Jun. 24, 2015 at 6:25 PM » Social News SALEM — After months of negotiations and right before recreational pot becomes legal, Oregon House legislators passed a bill Wednesday setting up the state's legal marijuana market. The measure creates regulations for medical and recreational marijuana, and includes a compromise allowing local jurisdictions to opt out of legalization. Members of a joint committee tasked with implementing Measure 91 had previously deadlocked on the issue of local control, and the measure stalled for weeks while lawmakers worked out an agreement. Counties or cities that voted against Measure 91 can choose to bar sales of marijuana if at least 55 percent of their residents opposed the ballot measure in last year's election. Other counties would have to put the issue of banning pot sales to a vote. "I did not support Measure 91. I am voting for this bill because it allows local jurisdictions to prohibit the sale of this drug," Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, said in a statement. The bill also creates a tracking system for marijuana so officials can trace pot from seedling to retail sale in order to keep it out of the black market. The Oregon Health Authority would be in charge of creating and maintaining a database tracking pot's path to market, and the bill requires grow sites to register and submit information on the amount of marijuana processed and transferred every month. "We want to help local businesses be successful in this legal market. We want to reduce illegal activity and transactions that are not in accordance with these laws. We want to keep kids and communities safe," said Rep. Ann Lininger, a Democrat from Lake Oswego who carried the bill. Additionally, the measure reduces penalties for some drug-related offenses. Geoff Sugerman, a lobbyist for Oregon Cannabis PAC, said it will bring the criminal statutes in line with the fact that marijuana is now legal. The measure, HB 3400, also will expunge many marijuana-related convictions, which will benefit tens of thousands of Oregonians, he said. "The so-called war on drugs has devastated communities across this country. With the experience of Prohibition behind us, we should know better, but instead we fill prisons and break up families over this drug," said Rep. Lew Frederick, a Portland Democrat. Consumption of recreational pot becomes legal in Oregon on July 1. The House approved the measure 52-4. It now heads to the Senate. By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted Jun. 24, 2015 at 6:25 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501