Portland Leaders Come Together to Address Safety In The Cannabis Industry

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland city leaders met with cannabis business owners on Friday to discuss safety issues impacting their industry.

Christina Coursey, the city’s cannabis and liquor program manager, says there are over 350 cannabis businesses in Portland trying to survive in the face of rising crime.

Statistics from the cannabis and liquor program add Portland accounts for 61.6% of statewide cannabis crimes. Further, the city has seen 378 reported incidents between February 2020 and April 2025. Those crimes range from vandalism, armed robbery, burglary, sexual assault, battery and homicide.

In fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, the cannabis program provided emergency relief funding — allocated from recreational cannabis tax revenue — to businesses impacted by rising crime.

But with Portland facing a $100 million shortfall next fiscal year, Coursey says funds are not there to continue that support. Additionally, it’s not just dispensaries being targeted.

“Recently we are seeing an increase in producers and wholesalers being targeted by an organized crime group using stolen vehicles to gain access inside,” Coursey said.

Ryan Nicholson with Cosmic Treehouse, a wholesale cannabis company, shared his business was targeted by “experienced criminals.”

“Their method is vehicle break-ins, but they used circle saws on our facility,” he said. “I was profoundly impressed by the efficiency of these people.”

City leaders in attendance also heard from the owner of Eastwood Gardens, who stated police did not respond to the call quickly enough after his dispensary was hit.

“I’ve had three break-ins and an attempted break-in since February,” he said. “The first break-in was February 4. It was like, five dudes. Response time was an hour and a half. The precinct is like, 0.8 miles from my facility.”

This was the first cannabis public safety forum hosted by the city.

The cannabis industry contributes millions of dollars in tax revenue each year to Portland’s economy.