Portal:Oregon/Selected article/56

Cannabis in Oregon relates to a number of legislative, legal, and cultural events surrounding use of cannabis (marijuana and hashish). Oregon was the first U.S. state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and among the first to legalize its use for medical purposes. An attempt to recriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis was turned down by Oregon voters in 1997. From 1999 through 2005, the ratio of Oregonians using cannabis outpaced the general United States population by 32–45%. In 2003–2004, Oregon ranked among the top five states for cannabis usage of people 12 and older. Oregon is also one of the largest cannabis producing states, ranking fourth in indoor production, and 10th overall in 2006. In surveys conducted in 1974 and 1975—one and two years after decriminalization—it was found that 2% of respondents said they didn't use marijuana or cannabis because they were unavailable, 4% for legal or law enforcement reasons, 53% reported lack of interest, and 23% cited health dangers. The remaining 19% were using or had used it at one time. In 1998, the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act was passed by citizens' initiative; Oregon remains one of only a few U.S. states to permit marijuana use for medical purposes.