Recreational cannabis in Oregon was first legalized back in 2014, and while the overall market has grown immensely over since then, the medical side of the marijuana industry seems to have gotten the short end of the stick. Since the two sectors were officially split up last January, over 200 medical dispensaries have either shut down or shifted their focus towards recreational sales.



Overall, the recreational takeover has led to an 84 percent decline in the number of medical dispensaries. The patient count has also seen an increasingly sharp decline since adult-use became fully legalized.

Oregon’s Medical Marijuana Industry Slumps As Recreational Market Booms

Recreational cannabis in Oregon was first legalized back in 2014, and while the overall market has grown immensely over since then, the medical side of the marijuana industry seems to have gotten the short end of the stick. Since the two sectors were officially split up last January, over 200 medical dispensaries have either shut down or shifted their focus towards recreational sales.

Overall, the recreational takeover has led to an 84 percent decline in the number of medical dispensaries. The patient count has also seen an increasingly sharp decline since adult-use became fully legalized. This can likely be attributed to the fact that viable patients must renew their medical marijuana cards every year.

While dispensaries have been allowed to sell recreational cannabis since October 2015, the transitional period ended at the start of this year, requiring medical entities to obtain recreational licenses to continue serving the budding adult-use market. While it might seem like a no brainer for dispensaries to get involved in legal market, some patients are potentially deterred from purchasing medical marijuana at a recreational storefront.

However, out of the 436…

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