An initiative campaign to legalize cannabis cafes in Oregon has officially cleared its first hurdle, receiving over 1,400 verified signatures—more than the 1,000 required to obtain a ballot title from the state.
Organizers are now preparing to launch the next and much larger phase of their campaign: gathering more than 117,000 additional signatures to qualify the Oregon Cannabis Social Lounge Act for the November 2026 ballot.
Filed on March 20 by the Oregon Cannabis Cafe Coalition, the initiative would legalize licensed cannabis lounges across the state beginning in 2027. These venues would allow adults to consume marijuana in social settings. Patrons would need to bring their own marijuana, and alcohol and tobacco would be banned from the premises. Lounges would be allowed to sell food, beverages, and hemp-derived CBD products containing no more than 0.3% THC.
The initiative restricts licenses to microbusinesses and blocks those with existing retail marijuana licenses from operating lounges. Any proposed lounge would need approval from both the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and local governments and must comply with local zoning and safety regulations.
In a public announcement, organizers called for continued support from cannabis businesses, vendors, and volunteers to help them reach the 2026 ballot. The coalition says the measure will create safe, regulated spaces for cannabis use, help grow the local economy, and promote education and responsible consumption.
