“Mayor Caught Buying Marijuana” would be a damaging headline in most cities. Not in North Bonneville, Washington, where the mayor wants the public to follow his lead on weed.
The small city, about 50 miles east of Portland, Oregon, is the first in the country to open a government-run recreational marijuana shop, Mayor Don Stevens told NBC News.
It’s called The Cannabis Corner, and on Saturday, he was the first customer. He bought one-gram packages of four varieties. He said he had tried two of them, Nobama Diesel and Blue Magoo, and found them “quite enjoyable with a calming effect that made my evenings very relaxing.”
The city government appointed a five-person board to manage the shop, Stevens said. The profits will go into a special fund, and the city can apply to the board to dip into it.
“We’ve already been talking about upgrading the city park for the kids,” Stevens told NBC affiliate KGW, adding that the park is “pathetic.” The Cannabis Corner will be open every day, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
IN-DEPTH
- Pot Sales Begin (Legally) in Washington State
- Washington State's First Legal Marijuana Shops Set to Open Amid Chaos
- Poll: Majority of Americans Support Efforts to Legalize Marijuana
— Elisha Fieldstadt
