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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Oregon Legislature. This is a venue for political and policy coverage of the state government in Salem and its impact on the people of Oregon.

Marijuana Committee Has Little To Show For Its Efforts

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File photo of a marijuana grow in Colorado. Recreational marijuana is set to become legal in Oregon starting July 1.

A special legislative committee meant to help pave the way for legalized recreational marijuana in Oregon has hit some road bumps.

The House and Senate panel, the Joint Committee On Implementing Measure 91, was created after voters approved Measure 91 last fall. Members were planning to possibly tweak the initiative before it goes into effect later this year.

But the committee has little to show for its efforts so far.

The committee has met 19 times so far and has failed to approve a single piece of legislation. The most recent hang-up came over a bill that would actually set new guidelines around the existing medical marijuana program.

Members of the committee disagreed over how much control local governments should have to ban medical marijuana dispensaries. Even if the committee ultimately takes no action, recreational marijuana will still be legal in Oregon starting July 1.

In Washington 60 cities and four counties have banned recreational marijuana sales. The Washington Attorney General has said those bans are allowed under Washington initiative 502.