Oregon: Marijuana Legalization Measure 91 Has 2014 Elections Results Passing Recreational Pot

Oregon’s marijuana legalization effort for the 2014 election is attempting to make recreational marijuana available for all adults based upon Measure 91. The 2014 election results are just now streaming in and, so far, it seems that Oregon’s recreational marijuana measure will definitely be passing tonight.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, the final Amendment 2 election results for Florida’s medical marijuana effort are in and already big supporters like John Morgan are responding to the controversy. [Update: Alaska’s recreational marijuana legalization results have just started pouring in.]

This is not the first time that Oregon’s recreational marijuana legalization efforts have attempted to pass. Back in 2012, a similar measure was tried and it flopped miserably, with only 46 percent of the vote. Unlike Florida, which requires 60 percent of voters to support a ballot measure, Oregon only needs to gain several more percent in 2014 in order to pass Measure 91.

According to the Oregonian, Measure 91 has 56 percent in favor of legalizing marijuana with an estimated 50 percent of the votes counted. It’s possible that as other districts turn in their 2014 elections results that the numbers may change, but so far everyone is assuming it has passed.

Proponents of marijuana legalization believe the successful effort this year succeeded this time because of “better language, more endorsements, stronger supporters, professional campaigners and most important, a large stash of millions in cash to run campaign ads. The opposition banked less than $200,000, almost all of it from police associations, and stumbled horribly in the only televised debate when their medical expert claimed ‘five young infant children have died’ from eating cannabis edibles in Colorado as the TV station ran his retraction in a graphic below him.”

Before the 2014 elections results were in, polls put support for Oregon’s marijuana legalization at 52 percent on the assumption that voter turn out among younger votes would sway the vote toward success. According to Bloomberg, Gallup also reported a surge in interest in marijuana during 2013. Back in 1969, legal weed was only supported by 12 percent of the population but, according to CNN’s early exiting polling, about 49 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization while 47 percent oppose such measures.

With Oregon’s Measure 91 passed, this means the state legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in the state. Proponents say the measure will increase state tax revenue and also save police resources typically spent drug arrest and citations. But opponents of Oregon’s marijuana legalization claim that Measure 91 does not clearly define the law in regards to driving while drugged. There are also fears about marketing marijuana to minors.

Measure 91 also does not go into effect immediately so it’s possible that some Oregonians will light up and break the law unintentionally. But, according to the Weed Blog, it’s possible that Oregon police will choose to not enforce the law.

“Oregonians will still have to wait awhile until they can legally possess 8 ounces of flower, and grow up to 4 plants per household. However, if Oregon is like Washington and Colorado, enforcement could be suspended any day, as there’s no point in busting someone for something that will be legal soon. Implementation of the legal limits should be July 1, 2015. Stores will take a bit longer, but the delay shouldn’t be as long as it was in Washington.”

What do you think about Oregon legalizing marijuana?