State Collects Over $6M in Marijuana Sales Tax Since January

From the first two months in 2016, Oregon reports that it has collected $6.84 million in recreational marijuana sales taxes. This comes from roughly $27 million in reported recreational marijuana sales.

Medical marijuana is not currently taxed in Oregon, so there are no tax dollars to report. Statewide, according to Oregon Live, there are an estimated 320 medical marijuana dispensaries that sold recreational marijuana.

Since the inception of the recreational marijuana market in Oregon, the types of products available to recreational users has increased. Medical marijuana dispensaries are also permitted to sell limited amounts of products, seeds and small plants to residents.

Oregon taxes recreational marijuana sales at 25 percent. This will decrease to between 17 and 20 percent when the Oregon Liquor Control Commission takes over the recreational marijuana program. A base tax rate, set by Legislature, of 17 percent is in place, which allows an additional 3 percent to be collected at city and county levels.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission assumes control of the recreational marijuana industry in 2017. The commission expects to generate a minimum of $10.75 million in tax revenue. This tax estimate is roughly $62 million for 2017 through 2019.