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.