The Oregon State Fair, yes state fair, not Oregon Country Fair, was the first of it’s kind in the U.S.A. again showcasing cannabis plants this past August at the fairgrounds in the state’s capitol, Salem.
There are anecdotal accounts of the Oregon State Fair being the first state fair to allow actual tattooing—18 years ago—establishing a precedent for this fair’s trailblazing ways. The live cannabis plants on display were the winners of the Oregon Cannabis Grower’s Fair, where more than 60 plants were shown and judged by a panel including our very own Ed Rosenthal.
“We feel that this is perhaps the first opportunity many Oregonians have ever had to see a live plant,” – Donald Morse, director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, told the Associated Press.
“In doing all this, we hope to destigmatize cannabis as a whole.”
The Fair gave permission to the Oregon Cannabis Business Council to display nine immature cannabis plants in the commercial exhibitor section of the Fair.
The decision to allow this display was informed by the actions and decisions of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, the Oregon Legislature and Oregon voters.
The cannabis display was inside a greenhouse controlled by an extra security detail, which was in addition to regular security staffing at the Fair.
No one under the age of 21 was allowed inside the greenhouse, and they were careful to label the exhibit as,“not affiliated with any other program, partner, vendor or exhibitor of the Oregon State Fair.”