Redmond voters OK marijuana sales
Published 5:21 pm Tuesday, November 5, 2024
- Cannabis is displayed at a marijuana dispensary in Bend. Many cities in Central Oregon banned such dispensaries in 2014, including Redmond, But Redmond voters could undo that ban in the Nov. 5 election.
Redmond residents want to allow marijuana sales within their city, according to Tuesday’s election results.
A measure that would recommend the Redmond City Council allow marijuana dispensaries within city limits passed with 53.1% of the vote, according to preliminary results as of Wednesday morning.
While marijuana is legal across the state of Oregon, state statutes allow municipalities to regulate marijuana activities and Redmond’s city code does not currently allow business licenses for marijuana dispensaries. The measure voters approved is nonbinding and only serves as a recommendation to the City Council.A companion measure, which passed by an overwhelming 70.6% of the vote, creates a 3% tax on the sale of marijuana products in Redmond if the city decides to follow the advisory measure to grant dispensaries valid business licenses.
A third ballot measure that passed Tuesday will extend an existing moratorium passed by voters in 2024 prohibiting psilocybin service centers in Redmond for two years. The measure passed with 55.6% of the vote, according to results as of Wednesday.