Colorado Pot Shops Net Over $1 Million On First Day Of Legal Operation
Twenty-four shops opened on Jan. 1, mostly in Denver; potential problem is price inflation
Twenty-four shops opened on Jan. 1, mostly in Denver; potential problem is price inflation
[Screengrab, 9News] |
SOURCE: www.rawstory.com
AUTHOR: Scott Kaufman
Pot dispensaries in Colorado, where the regulated sale of marijuana became legal on January 1, recorded well over $1 million in sales on their first day of business.
Despite cold temperatures and intemperate weather, most shops reported long lines throughout the day, with some customers waiting in outside for hours to purchase marijuana legally.
"It's a huge deal for me," Andre Barr told 9 News, "to be part of the legal weed experiment. This wait is nothing."
Twenty-four shops opened on Wednesday, most of them in the Denver area, and according to Barbara Brohl, head of the Department of Revenue's marijuana oversight division, "[e]verything's gone pretty smoothly."
The only potential problem is price inflation. High-quality marijuana that, on Tuesday, could only be sold to medical marijuana patients for $25 per one eighth of an ounce, was being sold on Wednesday to recreational users for $75 for the same amount.
Medical marijuana advocates hope that such inflation is just a temporary measure by pot shops to deal with the increased demand that followed legalization.