Proprietor Stewart Schmidt opened his business July 2, 2015. Subsequent to
that date, he was forced to close in order to comply with a county marijuana
zoning requirement.

On July 1, nearly one year to the day of the first opening, Smoke on the
Mountain reopened at its Welches location on Hwy. 26, in full compliance.
Schmidt’s problem stemmed from a recent requirement that an air filtration
system stamped by a mechanical engineer licensed in the state be installed,
according to Schmidt. Failure to do so would have resulted in hefty fines.

“As this is a new industry, it was rather difficult to find a mechanical engineer
willing to work on such a small job,” Schmidt said. “They are used to dealing
with large corporations, Costco, large restaurants, and hospitals. The air
filtration system was quite costly and I was told by two separate engineers

that the requirements that the county put into place matched those of a
hospital emergency room.”

Now, fully operational, Schmidt noted the business is striving to grow and
offer better and better products, more selection at competitive prices.

“We carry several strains of marijuana flower as well as a number of extract
concentrates in cartridge form used for vape pens, as well as a number of
edibles and drinks,” he said. “We will soon be carrying other forms of extracts
such as dabbable extracts and shatters, And I’m happy to announce that we
now have an ATM.”

Most of the product at Smoke on the Mountain, appropriately, comes from
local farmers on the mountain. Schmidt pointed out that the current 25
percent sales tax goes to the state and the county’s 3 percent sales tax on
recreational marijuana goes to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, none
of those tax dollars are specifically targeted for the local community.

“It is my goal to stay local and to directly stimulate the economy of the
mountain,” he said. “Purchasing locally and providing a local discount is just
the start.”

The business offers a 15 percent discount to veterans and members of the
community.

While the road has been dark and uncertain at times, turning back was never
an option for Schmidt.

“My commitment to bring a dispensary of the finest quality to the mountain
has never wavered,” he said. “We have started small, but will continue to
strive to grow and to meet our patient’s and customer’s needs.”

As of July 31, the Oregon Department of Revenue processed $25.5 million in
marijuana tax payments for 2016, according to Joy Krawczyk, public
information officer for the state.