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In 2012, Washington and Colorado voters made history when they approved measures to legalize recreational marijuana. Washington Initiative 502 “authorizes the state liquor board to regulate and tax marijuana for persons twenty-one years of age or older.”Since the vote in Washington, the Liquor Board has written a complex set of rules for the state’s new, legal recreational cannabis marketplace. The agency has also set limits on the amount of marijuana that can be grown. And the Board has begun to license growers, processors and retailers.For now, the Obama administration has signaled it will not interfere with Washington and Colorado’s legal pot experiment, unless there is evidence that legal pot is “leaking” to other states or children are getting access to the legal product. The feds are also watching to see if criminal organizations exploit the legal market.The first marijuana retail stores in Washington opened in July 2014.Recreational marijuana is also set to become legal in Oregon on July 1, 2015 after voters approved Measure 91 in November 2014.

High Interest In Becoming The Oregonian's Pot Critic

Austin Jenkins
/
Northwest News Network
File photo. Hundreds have applied to be the freelance pot critic for The Oregonian newspaper.

A lot of people want to review marijuana for Oregon's largest newspaper. The Oregonian is looking for a freelance pot critic as recreational marijuana sales are set to begin next month.

The job listing was posted this summer and said the ideal candidate would be an experienced marijuana user who is familiar with the products on the Oregon market. Apparently there are a lot of people who think they meet that description.

An Oregonian reporter tweeted that nearly 400 people have applied so far. The paper's editor did not return a message asking to confirm that number.

Whoever gets the gig would apparently be the first pot critic for a daily publication in the Northwest. Two papers in Colorado have weed reviewers. One was even featured on The Daily Show. His identity was concealed with a cloud of second-hand marijuana smoke.

With more than 200 legal dispensaries in Oregon, the Oregonian's pot critic could have plenty of work ahead.