Crowds Gather On Bridge In Oregon Then Smoke Marijuana At Midnight
On July 1st, marijuana became legal in Oregon. To celebrate, crowds gathered on the Burnside Bridge in Portland prior to midnight. Under the glow of a neon sign, the crowd waited until the clock struck twelve and then proceeded to light up and smoke.
Now, Oregon residents over 21 years of age can buy marijuana and smoke it in private. They can own four plants, possess four ounces at home but only one ounce in public. Even though smoking in public is still illegal, police did not bother to harass the crowd celebrating at the bridge.
The legalization has set the foundation for shops to sell marijuana, which will likely occur sometime next year, but it is expected that lawmakers will try to prevent retail stores from selling the plant. Regulators will begin to accept business applications sometime in January.
The legalization of marijuana in Oregon is just another chapter in the growing popularity and favor spreading across the country. In Washington and Colorado, retail pot-shops are already sprouting up. Alaska has voted to legalize the drug, and another campaign is getting started in California.
