Oregon's Governor signs bill to legalize & regulate marijuana dispensaries

Oregon's Governor Kitzhaber is a smart, relatively progressive Democrat, who was an emergency
room physician prior to getting into politics. Good on him for signing this.

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Kitzhaber signs medical marijuana dispensaries bill
By Jonathan J. Cooper * Associated Press * Aug 14, 2013 at 3:30 PM PDT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber on Wednesday signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries, setting the stage for the state to regulate and inspect businesses that have operated for years in a legal gray area.

Oregon was one of the first states to allow the legal use of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation, and the state has issued marijuana cards to 56,000 people. The law requires patients to grow the drug themselves or designate someone to grow it for them. Dozens of dispensaries have popped up around the state, but they're not explicitly authorized. In some areas, authorities have moved to shut them down. Elsewhere, police have left them alone.

The bill gives the Oregon Health Authority new power to run background checks, conduct on-site safety inspections and perform financial audits. The agency will begin drafting regulations for approval early next year.

"It's vital now that the people who are involved in the medical marijuana program implement this bill very responsibly to ensure that patients have safe access and that they are good neighbors in their communities," said Geoff Sugerman, a lobbyist who helped write the bill.

http://www.katu.com/politics/Kitzhaber-signs-marijuana-dispensaries-bill-219643511.html