14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 19, 2015
Polk County News
The changing face of pot
Medical dispensaries may sell marijuana to all on Oct. 1
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — Alex
Andrade, 40, is perhaps the
least likely person to run a
medical marijuana dispen-
sary. She has never smoked
marijuana — or cigarettes,
for that matter. She’s never
had a drop of alcohol.
“I’ve gotten some flak
from people about being a
non-smoker, but I’m proud
of my lifelong sobriety,” said
Andrade, owner of Blackbird
Indica, one of two medical
marijuana dispensaries in
Polk County.
Healing — and sobriety —
run in her family, Andrade
said.
“I’m the great-grand-
daughter of Lassen Wilis-
Kol-Kold, who was a medi-
cine woman of the Moun-
tain Maidu People,” she
said. “I do believe she used
cannabis in her healing,
too. And she did not par-
take herself, either, so I
just look at it as being a
h e a l e r l i k e m y g re a t -
grandma.”
Andrade opened Black-
bird in January, and, though
she voted against Measure
91, she will begin selling
recreational marijuana on
Oct. 1.
So far, she compared her
facility to a frozen yogurt
business — profitable, but
not as much as people may
suspect.
Her clients vary from life-
long marijuana users to peo-
ple recently diagnosed with
cancer.
“I have 90-year-old farm-
ers who just don’t want to
take 15 pills a day and are
choosing a more holistic ap-
proach to feeling better,”
Andrade said.
Business has died down a
bit during the summer, lead-
ing her to believe she had
more student clients than
she suspected.
“Apparently, we have a
lot,” Andrade said. “It will be
interesting to see how Oct. 1
goes.”
Right now, only Oregon
Medical Marijuana card
holders may buy flowers,
concentrates, edibles and
other marijuana products.
On Oct. 1, anyone older than
21 may buy flowers, or bud.
At first, recreational mari-
juana will be tax-free. After
Jan. 4, 2016, a 25 percent tax
will be added at the point of
sale — Oregon’s first true
sales tax — for purchases
made at a dispensary.
A gram will cost from $6
to $12 for recreational mari-
juana flowers at Blackbird
Indica, Andrade said.
She said the lack of taxes,
at least at first, is important
to try and kill the black mar-
ket.
“The black market is still
stronger than the dispen-
saries, in my opinion,” she
said. “We have people come
in all the time and say, ‘I can
get this on the street for this
much.’ Well, you can, but I
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Alex Andrade, 40, will begin selling marijuana flower to people older than 21 starting
Oct. 1. Right now, the owner of Blackbird Indica only sells medical marijuana.
don’t recommend it.”
Healing Green and Black-
bird are the only two med-
ical marijuana dispensaries
in Polk County.
Whether or not the coun-
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ty will see any more mari-
juana businesses could be
up to local jurisdiction.
The Oregon Legislators
decided that counties and
cities that voted no on
Measure 91, which Polk
County voters did — 52.6 to
47.3 percent — may opt out
of allowing dispensaries.
While cities debate the
topic, Independence Police
Chief Bob Mason said he
hasn’t had any problems
with either dispensary — no
more calls than from any
other retail business.
Monmouth Police Chief
Darrell Tallan said whether
or not a dispensary in Mon-
mouth would increase po-
lice calls is yet to be seen.
Monmouth was a dry
town until 2002, when it first
changed its ordinances to
allow beer and wine sales.
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Tallan said the alcohol-re-
lated criminal activity —
minor in possession, driving
under the influence, having
an open container in pub-
lic — did not increase after
selling alcohol was legal in
Monmouth.
When it comes to selling
marijuana, Tallan said he
suspects it will put addi-
tional work on officers
doing background checks
for licensing, similar to Ore-
gon Liquor Control Com-
mission licenses for alcohol
sales.
As for marijuana theft,
Tallan said he and his offi-
cers already deal with theft
of medical marijuana plants.
“The potential is there
more now that more people
are able to grow, but I guess
time will tell if that’s going to
be an issue or not,” he said.
“We want to
thank all of our
customers for a
great 25 years.”
— From Gary Foster,
Cheryl, Ron & Eunice