The Baker County Blazers

Maybe they should call it “Baked” County.

Baker County’s marijuana retail sales from 2017 brought in more than $16 million. Considering their population, that means, per capita, it’s $960 per resident — the largest in Oregon according to retail sale data acquired by Portland Business Journal. For comparison, Lane County brings in $143 per resident. The information came out a while ago, but the International Cannabis Business Council felt the need to remind us of the weed money in a July 11 press release.

Even more surprising, Baker County has only four retail licenses, according to data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. That means it’s an average $4 million per license. Two of those licenses are in Huntington — a border town with Idaho, where weed isn’t legal. And that’s the reason why Baker County rakes in so much weed money.

As a result, police in Idaho keep an eye on traffic incoming from Oregon. “A Beacon of Green for Idaho” (5/3) looked at a pot shop in Huntington, 420ville, that’s an “oasis” for people in Idaho. However, police in Idaho aggressively support the state’s laws on weed through traffic stops. In 2017, Idaho State Police seized nearly 1,400 pounds of marijuana, which was more than the past three years — combined.

Since Idaho classifies weed as a Schedule I hallucinogenic, getting caught with three ounces is a misdemeanor with a fine of $1,000 and/or one year of incarceration.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!