While the future of recreational marijuana is in doubt nationally, hundreds of people are flocking to the Benton County Fairgrounds this weekend to celebrate medical and recreational marijuana use locally.
The 2nd annual Hemp & Cannabis Fair, held this weekend at the Benton County Fairgrounds, featured 40 vendors, including several local dispensaries, smoke shops, hemp-based products, consultants, medical professionals and a series of lectures looking to educate the community about the future of marijuana. The event is sponsored by Corvallis High Quality Compassion dispensary.
Several vendors, lectures and consultants Saturday focused on a number of legal questions on both the state and federal level. Eight states have legalized recreational marijuana, but recent comments from Trump administration officials have cast doubt on whether changes might be coming on a federal level.
Theres a lot of uncertainty and it feels like things are changing every day, said Brock Binder, owner of High Quality Compassion. I wholeheartedly believe though, that the western side of the U.S. has developed responsible use for retail and it will continue to be fruitful here.
Binder said that uncertainty nationally has highlighted the need for more education and more community outreach locally.
If we can sculpt an educated cannabis community, overall we believe thats going to help us (achieve) full legalization federally, because thats what we need, Binder said. The Hemp and Cannabis Fair is a well-known educational event about cannabis around the state of Oregon. (In) Benton County we dont get a lot of attention for cannabis education.
Binder said the fair has helped the local community to understand and embrace both medical and recreational marijuana.
I think people were more nervous at the fair last year. People are getting more used to this, he said. There is this state and federal divide that were seeing. On a state level, I think Oregons done a wonderful job.
High Qualitys assistant manager, Elise Warren, and outlet supervisor Alyssa Mahr spoke about increasing tensions between federal and state attitudes around marijuana in a lecture titled We Have Been Here Before.
I think its really important that our local representatives keep reflecting the ideas and opinions of local people, Mahr said. That hasnt been a priority federally for some time, and I think thats why were seeing that difference.
Warren said it was critical that people focus on common goals in their education efforts and to let research and statistics speak for themselves.
Organizing those goals, supported by medical research, is the best way to move this forward, Warren said, noting the recently formed Cannabis Caucus formed by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. I think we took a good first step.
Several visitors, such as Corvallis Kiaya Melton and Steven Shelley, said they were attending the fair for the first time.
Im personally new to the medical community and this allows us to check out all of our different options, said Melton, a medical marijuana cardholder. We also wanted to support our local dispensaries because we think theyre doing a wonderful job.
Shelley, a medical marijuana caregiver, said he also wanted to stay on top of the latest issues affecting local marijuana businesses.
Theres been a lot of changes in regulations, Shelley said, noting this years regulatory change from the Oregon Health Authority to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Its understandable, but its affected a lot of people and businesses.
Melton said after visiting the fair she was impressed with the effects that legalization of recreational and medical marijuana have had on local businesses.
I think other states should look to Oregon as a role model, Melton said. This is fantastic to see how positive this has been for us.
Naomi Forkash, director of The Hemp & Cannabis Fair, said this years fair featured more local businesses, including dispensaries such as Beaver Bowls and The Green Room.
I think everyones just happy to have something to celebrate right now and having something thats legal, Forkash said. Having a welcoming environment like this is really important to this movement. Cannabis events can be professional, safe and educational. This is normalizing it. Were no longer hiding in the corner.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Normalizing It – Hemp & Cannabis Fair Continues At Fairgrounds
Author: Nathan Bruttell
Contact: 541-926-2211
Photo Credit: Andy Cripe
Website: Albany Democrat-Herlad
