Oregon city considering hemp production ban

Hemp bans in California towns are common as the crop struggles to gather broad support in a state where nearly half of its counties outlaws hemp production.

But in Oregon, where hemp has become a widely accepted stable, one city is considering banning production within its limits.

The Medford City Council this week reviewed possible code changes that address the city’s concerns. Medford previously banned growing recreational marijuana, according to the Mail Tribune.

The council is also reviewing where hemp-processing facilities might be located, most likely in areas zoned industrial or heavy commercial.

The city of Medford currently doesn’t have any hemp grows inside city limits, though there are hemp grow sites just outside the city, including one near an elementary school.

Medford passed a number of ordinances from 2015 to 2018 related to marijuana, with councilors concerned about the impact on neighbors particularly because of the flower’s strong odor.

After the recreational marijuana ban in Medford, Jackson County saw a massive influx of hemp grows, surpassing the acreage of pears and grapes combined.

– Associated Press and Hemp Industry Daily