Proposals that couldn't get a vote are essentially doomed for this session, although there are some legislative loopholes lawmakers can still use if they wanted to revive the bill later. Democratic House Speaker Tina Kotek said most of the dead bills still needed more work before they could receive a vote. She added that there were simply "too many bills" introduced this year, which prevented lawmakers from effectively addressing them all.
A plan that would have paved the way for the creation of cannabis lounges was among the measures that were scrapped. The move dealt a setback to Oregon's marijuana industry, one of 10 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. to allow adult-use cannabis sales and consumption.
Brandon Goldner, supervisor of Portland's Cannabis Program, argued that the legalization of indoor cannabis lounges would provide a safe, regulated space for users to consume. He said that tourists often visit Oregon to purchase recreational marijuana, but find they have no place to consume it.
Parents and public health officials raised concerns that cannabis cafes would normalize marijuana use among teens and weaken the state's public health laws.