Jefferson County voters face 8 marijuana measures

A ban on recreational and medical cannabis will be the key issue in Jefferson County as voters vote on eight different marijuana-related measures on the Nov. 8 ballot..

The ballot will have two city measures and six measures for the county.

Voters living in Madras will have to decide if they want to ban recreational cannabis retailers, processors and wholesalers.

A proposed 3 percent sales tax on licensed marijuana retailers inside the city limits could be approved by Madras voters, but only if the proposed ban is rejected.

Bend voters also will be deciding on a 3 percent pot sales tax, as will La Pine, where voters also face a measure that would ban recreational marijuana retailers in the city.

Jefferson County commissioners decided last year it would let the voters decide on whether they want to ban medical and recreational grows, retailers and processors to do business on county land.

Crook County is the only county in Central Oregon that has opted out of allowing recreational marijuana businesses.

Six marijuana measures for residents living in the county is asking voters to ban medical marijuana dispensaries and processing sites, other measures including recreational marijuana business and land use.

Voters will need to vote yes if they want to approve the ban on medical and recreational cannabis in the county and in the city limits, a no vote would allow both medical and recreational to operate.

High Desert Dispensary is one of five cannabis retailers operating in the Madras area and their making sure people who buy their product know about the marijuana measures on the ballot this year.

Katia Machiz, who works at the dispensary told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday people do have questions about the measures and they want them to be informed before they cast their ballot.

Machiz said most people who go into the dispensary are buying for recreational use and this ban would impact their business.

The Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins told reporter Pedro Quintana Tuesday morning he would respect the vote of the people in his county on whatever they decided on these marijuana measures.