The Oregon House passed a bill Tuesday that makes it legal to transport cannabis across state lines.

But trading isn’t about to happen anytime soon. Senate Bill 582 includes a number of important restrictions.

For example, cross-state transportation would only be allowed between states that have both legalized marijuana and share a border with Oregon. That would include Washington, California and Nevada, but not Idaho because it hasn’t legalized marijuana.

Perhaps the biggest restriction in the bill is that cross-border transportation wouldn’t be allowed until the federal government permits it. 

Rep. Ken Helm, D-Washington County, thinks federal permission might not be the longshot it seems. He said Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden has already sent out draft legislation aimed at this Congressional session.

“This is another instance in which Oregon can be a leader and be poised to take advantage of rational rules around the cannabis market,” Helm said. 

State Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, sponsored the bill. He said it’s a very strong statement by the Oregon Legislature that will reverberate across the country.

“The future of this industry is that cannabis will primarily be grown where it grows best, and most efficiently, and most sustainably. That’s what functioning legal markets do,” Prozanski said.

Oregon is producing twice as much cannabis as people are using, so growers are anxious to find other markets. [Read More @ OPB]