Pot plants on display at Oregon State Fair

SALEM, Ore. — Living marijuana plants went on display Friday at the Oregon State Fair, and organizers said it’s the first state fair in the nation to allow cannabis for public viewing. Oregon voted to legalize recreational marijuana in late 2014.

The fair allowed a display about marijuana — but without any living plants — last year and it generated no complaints, so this year the organization took the next step and agreed to let marijuana growers display live plants.

The Oregon Cannabis Business Council, which is sponsoring the display, said it’s the first time living pot plants have been open for public viewing at any state fair nationwide.

The council is renting space in a state fair exhibit hall for its tent and selected nine plants for the display at an industry event two weeks ago.

While the tent holding the display smells strongly of weed, fair authorities are only allowing immature plants — pot plants without flowers.

Marijuana leaves are much less potent than the flowers, or buds, and it’s not yet legal to transport flowering plants within the state anyway.

Donald Morse, director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, said his group hopes to get permission to display flowering pot plants next year.

The exhibit is in a translucent tent, and both the entrance and exit are monitored. Anyone entering must prove they are at least 21 years old.

This week, Oregon said it had processed $25.5 million in taxes on recreational marijuana since January 2016.