State officials say that since recreational marijuana became legal, the number of people with medical cards dropped from 77,000 to 67,000 — that’s equivalent to the population of Cottage Grove.
And it’s not just customers who are moving to the recreational market. Of the 300 plus dispensaries in the state, more than 80 percent have applied to sell recreational cannabis.
RELATED: Oregon Legislature Sends SB 1057 to Governor
Medical marijuana is supposed to be a legal, easy way to help people get help for pain reduction or other chronic problems. Patients with medical marijuana cards can buy more at one time than recreational customers — and they pay lower prices.
But that isn’t proving enough to retain customers.