REMEMBER WHEN they made marijuana legal in the state of Oregon? Yeah. That was pretty cool.

What's even cooler is how the cannabis industry has subsequently exploded, with creators, innovators, and investors all doing their part to make the most of the new economy. Even though we're still in our baby-steps phase, the presence of legal recreational weed in Oregon has changed our city for the better—and not just in the feeling-okay-about-getting-high way, either.

For our annual cannabis issue, we're looking at some new developments on the canna frontier, but more importantly, we've examined how those developments can affect our day-to-day lives. We did a trial run of some cannabis-based oils and topical treatments (with varying degrees of success), and we also tried a not-yet-available-in-Oregon vaginal suppository to aid with menstrual cramps (it was a winner). We also looked at how cannabidiol (CBD) is changing the medical scene, offering health benefits that are having resounding repercussions.

So, this is where we are, in the first year after legalization. It's an exciting place to be. But it's not like everything is hunky dory—some people are still victim to unfair drug testing, and weed culture still has some growing up to do. But mostly, we're here to appreciate how far we've come, and even if you're not a toker, there's a lot to celebrate.