As of midnight on Wednesday, those over 21-years-old can legally possess and grow cannabis in Oregon, though actually buying or selling the plant for recreational use is not yet legal.
Oregon became the fourth state to legalize pot, behind Colorado, Washington state, and Alaska. The District of Columbia has also ended prohibition, while half of the country's states allow medical use.
Residents who are 21 and older can now legally posses up to eight ounces of cannabis inside their homes, and up to one ounce elsewhere.
The law, passed in November with 56 percent of the vote, also allows adults to grow up to four plants per household, so long as it's done out of public view, according to The Huffington Post. And perhaps most importantly, residents can get high - also as long as it's not in public.
That didn't stop hundreds from attending a midnight gathering on the Burnside Bridge in downtown Portland and lighting up under the glow of a neon city sign, according to Reuters, which didn't report any arrests.
While medical marijuana users can still purchase cannabis from state-regulated dispensaries, the buying and selling of recreational marijuana has not yet been legalized, so for now, users will have to turn to their generous friends willing to share or give away starter plants.
The Portland chapter of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) attended the Burnside Bridge smoke out to celebrate and give out free marijuana and cannabis seeds, the Oregonian reported.
Lawmakers were working on Tuesday to push through a few related marijuana bills, one of which, SB 460, would legalize the sale of the plant starting on Oct. 1, according to the Statesman Journal. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, however, has said it won't be ready to dole out selling licenses until late next year.
Another bill pushed through identifies a tax structure for recreational marijuana that would start next year. Until Jan. 4, 2016, marijuana sales would be tax free. Then, the statewide tax would be 17 percent, and local governments would have the option to add up to 3 percent more.
A third piece of legislation sent to the House on Tuesday, Senate Joint Measure 12, is a recommendation to the federal government to either reschedule marijuana, or remove it from the Schedule 1 classification, which says cannabis has no medical value.
Anthony Johnson, who co-wrote the legalization law, praised its enactment, saying at a press conference that it "supports people who want to succeed in society," The Huffington Post reported.
"There's no reason we should saddle people with crimes on their record that prevent them from having a good educational and employment opportunities," he said.
