Visiting a Portland Dispensary

A city known for its laid-back, counter-culture atmosphere, Portland has become one of the country’s top destinations for cannabis tourism. Indeed, Portland offers an abundance of legal dispensaries, cannabis clubs, bud-and-breakfasts, weed festivals, and other ways to celebrate and indulge in cannabis consumption — but before you plan your first trip to a Portland dispensary, you should familiarize yourself with the city’s reefer rules and regulations.

Basic cannabis laws in Portland

Both recreational and medical cannabis are legal in Portland, Oregon. In fact, Oregon was the first state to decriminalize cannabis possession and consumption way back in 1973, and when it legalized medical and recreational cannabis, it was among the first states to pass and enact regulations. Today, there are more than 200 unique dispensaries within Portland’s city limits — which does not include all the dispensaries in Portland’s suburbs — so suffice it to say that there is plenty of weed to go around.

Portland’s laws for recreational cannabis

According to Oregon cannabis law, Adults aged 21 years and up are allowed once per day to purchase up to:

• 1 ounce of cannabis flower

• 16 ounces of infused product in edible form

• 72 ounces of infused product in liquid form

• 5 grams of concentrates

• 4 immature plants

• 10 seeds

Qualified adults are allowed to cultivate up to four cannabis plants at home, as long as their garden is out of public view, and it is legal to possess up to eight ounces of cannabis from personal cultivation within one’s home. However, Portland does not allow DIY concentrates or extracts; cannabis products must be purchased from a licensed Portland dispensary.

Most Portland dispensaries offer services like home delivery and curbside pickup, which make it much more convenient for both recreational and medical users to access cannabis products.

Portland’s laws for medical cannabis

Patients with qualified medical conditions are allowed to register with the Oregon Health Authority to participate in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). Valid cardholders are allowed to visit medical dispensaries and benefit from slightly different possession limits for flower and concentrates, up to:

• 24 ounces of cannabis flower

• 16 ounces of concentrates

What’s more, OMMP cardholders can cultivate up to six mature and 12 immature cannabis plants at home — or they can outsource their personal cultivation, as long as they notify the Oregon Health Authority properly.

How to get a medical marijuana card in Portland

Portlanders interested in becoming medical marijuana patients often find it easy to obtain an OMMP card in Oregon. First, prospective patients need to acquire written certification from a state-licensed physician that they suffer from a condition that qualifies them for cannabis treatment. Then, patients need to submit this certification online with photo ID and a $200 processing fee. Patients under 18 can also apply, but they need supervision from an adult parent or guardian. Patients should receive their valid card within 30 days of acceptance, allowing them to visit a Portland dispensary, but they do need to renew their card annually with a new physician certification.

Where is it legal to consume cannabis in Portland?

Technically, Oregon does not allow any kind of public consumption, which means it is safest for qualified users to consume cannabis only in privacy, away from public view. However, Portland does allow for cannabis consumption within social lounges, which are like bars for cannabis users, and many dispensaries allow consumption on their premises. What’s more, consumption is often permitted at cannabis festivals, though discretion is still encouraged.

How much does cannabis cost in Portland?

Because there are so many Portland dispensaries, there is quite a bit of variation in cannabis costs across the city. The cheapest dispensary in Portland offers about $5 per gram of dried flower, but dispensaries in more expensive parts of town with higher-quality products might charge as much as $20 per gram. Other products, like concentrates or pre-made edibles, have much more variation based on brand and type.

Cannabis taxes in Portland

Portland dispensaries apply the state sales tax of 17% to recreational cannabis purchases, and Portland levies an additional 3% sales tax on retail cannabis. However, medical marijuana sales are not subject to any taxation. All state tax revenues go to various government initiatives, especially public health programs for substance abuse and mental health, and Portland utilizes its local tax to fund criminal justice, infrastructure maintenance, economic support, and more.