If Oregon voters decide to legalize recreational marijuana in November, the state would create a distinctly different business climate from the one that has emerged in its neighbor to the north.
Some examples, according to an analysis of the recreational cannabis laws in Oregon and Washington State:
– Sales tax rates in Oregon would likely be much lower than in Washington State, where cannabis businesses are struggling to compete with the black market because hefty taxes have inflated prices.
– Oregon has already regulated its MMJ industry, so the rollout of recreational could be much smoother. A number of already-established Oregon dispensaries could potentially easily transition to the rec market. Washington never developed statewide regulations on medical marijuana businesses, which bogged down the licensing process.
– Rec shops in Oregon would be allowed to grow and process marijuana, while Washington requires different companies to handle those tasks (though a business can grow and process marijuana, it cannot also sell it via a retail shop).
Oregon residents would also be allowed to grow marijuana at home, which could diminish the market for retail stores but boost opportunities for hydroponics stores and companies that make small-scale cultivation equipment.
