Oregon legalized medical cannabis back in 1998, and in 2015, they recreationally legalized the plant. Ever since growing weed began, there were certain locations where some of the best bud was grown.
Over the years, different cannabis policies have been implemented in Oregon, but as of recently, cities and communities in Southwestern Oregon have seen an influx of new cannabis production corporations setting up in the rural region. But, not everyone is pleased by this recent change. Keep reading to find out which specific areas in Oregon are the best to grow top-of-the-line weed and why.
According to an article by USNews, ‘Williams’ is known to be one of Oregon’s pot-growing capitals due to its specific environment. Other areas that have the most and some of the most cannabis producers in the state consist of Jackson County and Josephine County. As of this past July, Jackson County had the most cannabis producers at 299 followed by 213 in Josephine County, according to an analysis by The Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Together, the two counties have 512 producers, which accounts for close to one-third of the state’s 1,535 licensed operations.
Besides Williams, other areas that are great for growing weed include Selma, Portland, Cave Junction, and O’Brien. These cities and other nearby communities are home to some of the highest concentrations of medical cannabis cardholders in the whole state, according to The Oregonian.
But, what is it specifically that makes these locations ideal for growing?
What is so Good About These Places?
What makes Williams and other neighboring Oregon counties such unique environments to grow weed in is the climate, the soil, and the overall rural and remote region. As stated by The Spokesman-Review about Williams, “The climate is ideal for growing cannabis with long, warm summers with little or no rain. The region is remote and rural, which attracted hippies looking for a little land in the 1970s who grew marijuana in secret gardens in the nearby hills.”
For years, Williams, Oregon has always been an ideal location for growing weed outdoors due to two main factors: natural sunlight and native soil. Other rural Southwestern communities are ideal places to grow as well, especially since they sit at the northern tip of the Emerald Triangle.
For those who don’t know, the Emerald Triangle stretches onto Northern California, and it’s known as one of the country’s best cannabis growing regions.
The Outdoor Cannabis Industry
Although Oregon recreationally legalized cannabis in 2015, lots of small-scale growers and overall cannabis businesses are struggling to compete against huge cannabis production corporations.
As of this year, Williams community members have been complaining to the city council about the enormous commercial operations that have popped up in the area. Due to Williams being in the middle of Oregon’s largest cannabis growing region, multiple large-scale cannabis production companies are interested in growing weed in Williams and have made quite a showing of it.
According to USNews, the influx of large cannabis corporations in Williams have resulted in increased traffic, bright lights and loud indoor greenhouse fans, multiple semi-trucks speeding down rural roads, and an overall obstruction and ruckus to the community’s environmentalist residents.
Cannabis has grown in this region for decades, but since the recreational legalization of the plant, people have been frustrated and concerned with the way things are going in some of the Southwestern cities of Oregon. Moreover, what sets Oregon apart from Washington and Colorado regarding growing weed is the presence of a robust and largely under-regulated outdoor cannabis industry.
As mentioned by The Oregonian, some of the outdoor cannabis harvests go towards fulfilling orders for medical cannabis consumers and/or regulated dispensaries. However, some of the cannabis makes its way into the illicit market out of state, in which Oregon bud “fetches top dollar”.
In general, Oregon is an ideal state to grow cannabis for a variety of reasons, but specifically because of the native soil, natural sunlight, nearly perfect climate, and a large amount of rural land it provides its growers. The Southwestern region of Oregon is where the most quality bud is produced, but as time goes on, cannabis production companies will start dispersing throughout the state once cities like Williams, Selma, and Portland become overpopulated.
If you are an Oregon resident over the age of twenty-one, you can legally possess and grow weed, however, if you grow outdoors, your yard must be made private by installing tall fences so that neighbors and pedestrians cannot easily see your cannabis plants, as stated in an article by The Oregonian.
Each household can have up to four plants, but if a member of the household has a medical cannabis card, they can grow up to six plants, which is significantly different than in most other U.S. states.
To find out more information on growing weed, and which season is the best to start growing outside in the Pacific Northwest, be sure to read the helpful article below:
https://www.leafbuyer.com/blog/growing-outdoors-in-oregon-season-best-start/
If interested in finding out the differences between Oregon’s medical and recreational cannabis laws/programs, check out the article below that outlines it all for you:
https://www.leafbuyer.com/blog/recreational-vs-medical-marijuana-oregon/
