Mainers lined up Friday to get their first opportunity to legally buy marijuana for adult recreational use, but the supply is reportedly thin.Retailers blamed a limited number of licensed manufacturers for reducing the variety of products available on Friday in Maine.Maine’s road to becoming the 10th state allowing marijuana for recreational use was exceptionally arduous.A referendum was approved nearly four years ago, in November 2016, but the effort to set up a method for legally purchasing cannabis dragged on through two vetoes by the governor, two legislative rewrites and a change in administrations.The Sea Weed Company in South Portland is one of two marijuana retailers to open on Friday.There was a line outside the door as people waited to get in.Because of the pandemic, operators said they will follow social distancing guidelines and only allow 10 people in at a time.Richard Sparrow, who was first in line, said he started waiting outside the door at 8 a.m. for the shop to open at noon.”What we’ve been doing in the past was not legal– I mean that’s the difference right there. Coming to the store, this is legal. When before you can get fined for and do jail time for,” Sparrow said.Because product is limited, the Sea Weed Company is limiting how much each customer is allowed to buy.At nearby Theory Wellness, there also was a long line of people waiting to get in.Theory Wellness is a Massachusetts-based business that became one of the first to receive a recreational license in Maine.Customers were also limited on how much they can buy and some waited hours to get in.”I thought there would be a lot more people, so I kinda wanted to be in line to make sure. I also heard that the supplies were going to be kind of low initially for the opening day, so I wanted to make sure that I got what I wanted,” customer Jeremy Howe, said.Customers must be 21 years or older to purchase recreational marijuana in Maine.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine —
Mainers lined up Friday to get their first opportunity to legally buy marijuana for adult recreational use, but the supply is reportedly thin.
Retailers blamed a limited number of licensed manufacturers for reducing the variety of products available on Friday in Maine.
Maine’s road to becoming the 10th state allowing marijuana for recreational use was exceptionally arduous.
A referendum was approved nearly four years ago, in November 2016, but the effort to set up a method for legally purchasing cannabis dragged on through two vetoes by the governor, two legislative rewrites and a change in administrations.
The Sea Weed Company in South Portland is one of two marijuana retailers to open on Friday.
There was a line outside the door as people waited to get in.
Because of the pandemic, operators said they will follow social distancing guidelines and only allow 10 people in at a time.
Richard Sparrow, who was first in line, said he started waiting outside the door at 8 a.m. for the shop to open at noon.
“What we’ve been doing in the past was not legal– I mean that’s the difference right there. Coming to the store, this is legal. When before you can get fined for and do jail time for,” Sparrow said.
Because product is limited, the Sea Weed Company is limiting how much each customer is allowed to buy.
At nearby Theory Wellness, there also was a long line of people waiting to get in.
Theory Wellness is a Massachusetts-based business that became one of the first to receive a recreational license in Maine.
Customers were also limited on how much they can buy and some waited hours to get in.
“I thought there would be a lot more people, so I kinda wanted to be in line to make sure. I also heard that the supplies were going to be kind of low initially for the opening day, so I wanted to make sure that I got what I wanted,” customer Jeremy Howe, said.
Customers must be 21 years or older to purchase recreational marijuana in Maine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.