Oregon voters approved marijuana legalization during the 2014 Election. The Oregon Legislature allowed licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to start limited sales in October 2015. Only seeds, clones, and flower were allowed to be sold. Sales were tax free until today. A temporary 25% tax begins today.

As an avid marijuana consumer, I can’t wait until recreational marijuana stores open, and I can go in with my ID and purchase not only flower, but also edibles, consumables, and concentrates. That is expected to happen later this year. But before that can happen, businesses need to get licenses for everything from stores to gardens to testing laboratories and beyond. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) will oversee the recreational marijuana industry, and opened up the application process today. Per OregonLive:

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission early Monday opened the state’s online application system for marijuana licenses. The agency initially planned to staff a call center with staff and policy experts to take questions from people completing applications, but Sunday’s winter storm prompted the state to close its Portland office buildings Monday. Mark Pettinger, a spokesman for the commission, said state staff will not be on hand to take questions from applicants today.

The OLCC plans on doing a staggered roll-out for licenses, first planning to review applications for testing facilities and outdoor gardens. I know a handful of people that are planning on applying. The day I can walk into a recreational store and purchase a vape pen cartridge will be a huge day for me. I plan on having my ID and cash in one hand, and my vape pen battery in the other!