Klamath Falls is the next municipality in the state of Oregon to petition for recreational marijuana sales.
On Jan. 25, the Klamath Falls city recorder’s office gave notice of a ballot title which introduces a measure that petitions voters whether recreational marijuana production and sales should be allowed in the city.
In addition to this question, the measure also includes the imposition of a 3% tax on all marijuana sales in the city.
There is already a ban on the recreational marijuana industry in Klamath Falls, implemented Sept. 21, 2015, that prohibits production, processing, wholesaling and retailing within the city limits. This new measure would overturn the current ban.
Ed Medina Jr. is the primary petitioner of this new initiative. He is the owner and operator of A Better Way Medicinal Alternatives in Klamath Falls. In addition to Medina Jr., Marianne Yong, owner of Wholly Hemp Farm in Klamath Falls, also added her name as a primary petitioner for recreational cannabis sales and distribution.
City offices in Klamath Falls received this petition for the allowance of legal production, sales, and distribution of marijuana on Jan. 18..
The first step along the way is for Medina Jr. and Yong to collect 1,784 signatures in favor of recreational sales. Once that occurs, city officials will review and move on to the next step, which is to send it to the voters within the community who will have the final say.
In order for this measure to appear on any ballot in the November 2018 election, all materials must be approved and verified by Aug. 8. Although this process can take up to three weeks to review each piece of information as it comes in, as long as there are no protest petitions filed, many supporters are hopeful that this measure could make it to the ballot this November.
Klamath Falls is one of 79 cities in Oregon with marijuana sales restrictions, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Medina Jr. believes that it is crucial for the city of Klamath Falls to move forward with this measure, citing that there will come a time when Oregon will no longer issue any new cannabis licenses and the entire city will have missed out on a potential revenue generating opportunity for the community.
