Smoke Signals
Even in an industry fraught with restriction, it sees 100% job growth
Leafly released its fourth annual Cannabis Jobs Report last month, and despite the troubling news of hundreds of recent industry layoffs, cannabis remains a fast-track growth industry. The numbers and industry expansion are impressive, but are still just a fraction of what's possible when cannabis is eventually made legal.
By Josh Jardine
Feb 19, 2020
Smoke Signals
Judging a high-profile cannabis competition wasn't what I expected
Part 2 in a series highlighting this writer's experience as a judge in a high-profile cannabis competition.
By Josh Jardine
Feb 12, 2020
Smoke Signals
The ongoing saga of the Youth Activity Center definition
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners was roundly rebuked by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals for its wandering "Youth Activity Center" definition as it relates to the location of marijuana farms. Given that, it seems the smart thing for a county to do would be a strategic retreat, saving itself and its legal resources for matters more worthy of the County's attention.
By Jeremy Dickman
Feb 5, 2020
Smoke Signals
Whereas a judge has to pay to attend the High Times event he's judging
As someone who writes for three newspapers, I've come to understand that publications usually have two sides: editorial, which produces what you read, and sales, which sells the ads and produces events that pay for what editorial creates. This can lead to conflicted feelings for the reader, as they enjoy the content created by the publication, but are troubled by how an event is produced, including ticket and refreshment prices, crowd management techniques, the quality of the experience for attendees, etc. You can love the team who wrote and designed the events guide but want to slap the taste from the mouths of those who execute it.
By Josh Jardine
Jan 29, 2020
Smoke Signals
If you're intent upon breaking into the Oregon cannabis industry right now, you'll find the regulatory sledding to be somewhere between tough and impossible.
Upon the passage of Oregon Senate Bill 218, signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown on June 17, 2019, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission instituted a moratorium on all new marijuana producer (farming) applications that will last until at least Jan. 2, 2022. As such, those who submitted a new producer application anytime within the past six months, are guaranteed to be waiting for at least two years, and likely much longer.
By Jeremy Dickman
Jan 22, 2020
OLCC application regulation cannabis marijuana farm farmer
Smoke Signals
Local filmmaker launches Kickstarter to fund hemp-focused film
With so many changes happening in the hemp industry in the U.S. these days, it can be tough for even industry players to keep up. And with Central Oregon forging a solid reputation as an ideal location to grow it, there's plenty of drama, intrigue and policy questions about hemp to cover right here in our backyard.
By Nicole Vulcan
Jan 15, 2020
Smoke Signals
More states going legal. More consumers getting informed. We look at what's ahead for the coming year.
As we enter the new year, there's no shortage of predictions for the cannabis industry. Having just wrapped up a tumultuous year which saw a bloodbath of job and financial losses in both the U.S. and Canada, a cavalcade of reports, articles and blog pieces predict what we can expect in 2020.
By Josh Jardine
Jan 8, 2020
Smoke Signals
2019 wasn't short on marijuana drama
Believe it or not, there was some news in 2019 not totally related to the Oval Office. The U.S. Congress (excluding the do-nothing Senate), the Deschutes County Commission and the Oregon state legislature had a busy 364.5 days when it came to crafting, fighting or violating marijuana policy.
By Jeremy Dickman
Dec 31, 2019
marijuana pot LUBA vape vitamin E Deschutes County
Smoke Signals
A huge increase in production, a massive increase in sales... and more fuzzy guidance from the FDA in 2019
The year 2019 was arguably the biggest year for hemp since it was criminalized in 1937. The passage of the Farm Bill in 2018, along with the skyrocketing interest in—and availability of—CBD made from hemp has been explosive, yet uneven.
By Josh Jardine
Dec 24, 2019
Smoke Signals
Attorneys spar at county hearing
In October, the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals decided that the Deschutes County Commissioners' definition of a "youth activity center" amounted to an unreasonable restriction on marijuana farms. Since then, I have to admit I've been anxiously awaiting another Deschutes County Board meeting to put marijuana land-use on their agenda.
By Jeremy Dickman
Dec 18, 2019
deschutes county land use marijuana youth activity center pot LUBA
Smoke Signals
A survivor of the 1960s shares his experience buying legal weed in Bend for the first time
"Be sure to hide the roaches."
—"Pre-Road Downs," Crosby, Stills & Nash
By Bill Mintiens
Dec 11, 2019
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