Skip to main content
Some of the world's finest cannabis is grown in Oregon, and many of the best-curated dispensaries in the country can be found within Portland city limits.
You probably already knew that.
One aspect of legal weed you probably take for granted, though? This is the only state on the West Coast that allows consumers to see, smell and often choose buds before buying.
With few exceptions, Portland dispensaries weigh out flowers per order, deli-style. As you consider your options, a budtender brings out the jars and removes the lids, so you can take a whiff to help you decide what to buy.
Head north or south of Oregon's borders, and the consumer experience is far more limited. In California and Washington, state law dictates that cannabis flower must be sold in pre-packaged increments—meaning whatever you buy has already been measured and sealed, sometimes weeks beforehand.
Some California and Washington dispensaries have locked jars containing a bud or two for review, but those quickly dry out and lose their scent.
The ability to smell before you buy isn't just a regulatory quirk: In cannabis, fragrance—or lack thereof—can indicate freshness, flavor and, if you know your terpenes, effects.
But even if you don't quite know what you're smelling for, take advantage of the offer for a free sniff—because your neighbors are missing out.
1. Because we're creating new neighborhoods…
2. Because we made voting even easier…
3. Because a doomed building is now a temporary work of art…
4. Because we're still No. 1 in semi-factual superlatives…
5. Because you can finally get a beer for less than $10 at Moda Center…
6. Because our news anchors don't take crap from internet trolls…
8. Because we are the champions of cyclocross…
11. Because we're turning wastewater into beer…
14. Because we let you stop and smell the weed…
15. Because we're a world hub for slap-tagging…
16. Because even Texans are impressed by our barbecue…
17. … and you can get almost any style of pizza here…
18. … and also, we've perfected the soy curl…
19. Because we're dedicated to keeping our strippers healthy and limber…
20. Because our gynecologists are building a better speculum…
21. Because our airport keeps getting more awesome…
22. …and so does Movie Madness…
23. Because we're making Halloweens more inclusive…
24. Because the city's most daring developer is growing strawberry fields in the sky…
25. Because we're bringing the pay phone back, minus the "pay" part…
27. Because hardcore foosball players finally have a home…
28. Because we're home to the largest astrology school in the United States…
29. Because this is the best place in the country to be a witch…
30. Because we believe no kitty should be left behind…
31. Because the barred owls are taking over…
32. Because the best Trail Blazer in history is playing in front of us…