With state residents able to buy marijuana legally from dispensaries starting today, the Oregon Health Authority is requiring all stores selling cannabis products to post public health notices about the dangers of allowing children access to pot.

According to The Oregonian, shoppers at these dispensaries will receive the following “marijuana information card” when they make a purchase:

If a child does eat or drink a product containing marijuana, the OHA urges a call to the Oregon Poison Center, at 1-800-222-1222.

I’ve always been a bit of a conference geek, and I’m incredibly excited to attend the We Can Do Better 2015 Conference Thursday in Portland. I haven’t been to one of these conferences in the past, but it looks like it’s going to be quite interesting. The agenda includes topics such as:

• Creating health equity with intentionality
• Transportation planning and its impact on health outcomes
• Addressing health issues within communities
• Creating greater access to complementary medicine
• What’s next for the Affordable Care Act in Oregon?

I’m particularly interested in the first two topics above, as they are especially relevant here in Portland. I’m hoping to have more to share after the event!

According to The Oregonian, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has announced that the city will continue closing several streets in the Old Town Chinatown entertainment district for several hours during weekend nights after studies have shown that the closures have likely helped reduce crime.

When the city first implemented the crowd control effort three years ago, businesses in the area initially protested that the reduction of traffic would hurt their sales. The mayor reported that these businesses have, for the most part, adjusted to the change and that the city is striking a good balance between public safety and protecting local businesses.

At this time, the biggest issue appears to be the large number of vehicles being towed on weekend nights—an average of nine per evening.

In addition to the street closures, the city of Portland has set up taxi areas in an effort to curb drunk driving and ensure more people get home safely after bar time. There are also plans to re-stripe NW 3rd Ave. to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety.

The city of Portland has expanded its smoking ban to all of its public parks, making the rule consistent across all parks in the city. Previously, smoking was only prohibited in certain parks under the city’s purview. City officials say the move will promote public health and protect parks from certain hazards, including pollution and fire.

A statement from Commissioner Amanda Fritz read in part:

“The intent of the smoke and tobacco-free parks policy is to promote public health and protect Portland’s parks and natural areas, not to criminalize those who smoke or use tobacco,” Fritz said in a statement. “We expect people to comply with the expanded policy because it’s the right thing to do for our parks and for themselves, not solely because they’re faced with major penalties.”

The new measure, which takes effect July 1, would also make the smoking ban a little less stringent, with violators simply asked to leave the park for the rest of the day if caught lighting up.