73 dispensaries can now sell recreational marijuana. Here they are.

Legal weed is here.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has authorized 73 dispensaries to begin selling recreational marijuana products to adults aged 21 and older.

See the bottom of this article for the full list of dispensaries, with names and contact details, by DHS.

A spokesperson for The Mint dispensary, which has a Tempe and Mesa location, said they would begin sales today (Friday) at 4:20 p.m.

Territory, which has dispensaries in Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa, says it will also start selling at its sites at 4:20 p.m.

Curaleaf, which has eight dispensaries across the state, began selling at noon in its stores.

Harvest Health and Recreation operates 15 dispensaries in the state. CEO Steve White tells New times “12 or 13” of them have been approved so far and are open and already selling recreational marijuana, including the Scottsdale location at 15190 N. Hayden.

“We had our first sale 17 seconds, I think, after receiving state approval today,” White said. “I expect to see queues today and probably throughout the weekend, but I think traffic should normalize after this.”

The approval comes after 60% of Arizona voters backed the state’s latest attempt to legalize recreational marijuana – Proposition 207 – in November.

Under the new law, adults 21 years of age or older can own up to one ounce of marijuana, including up to five grams of concentrate, and grow up to six cannabis plants at home. The law also allows medical marijuana dispensaries to begin selling to recreational users after receiving state approval. It has now started.

Specifically, the measure required the Arizona Department of Health Services to begin accepting applications on Jan. 19 from the first applicants: either existing dispensaries or applicants hoping to open one in a county that already has fewer than one. of them.

Some saw this as a way for the existing industry, which funded the initiative campaign, to grab the limited number of licenses and maintain a monopoly in the market. But it’s also a way to avoid the logistical issues that have slowed deployment in states that have tried to build a whole new recreational cannabis system from the ground up.

The law gives state regulators 60 days from the end of the early application period on March 9 to begin issuing licenses, but dispensaries expected the state to grant licenses much sooner – and it seems that is what happened.

Sam Richard, executive director of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, said the providers had won the trust of state officials, paving the way for swift approval.

“These are known quantities,” he says. “These are entities known to regulators.”

While some in the industry expected an immediate impending buffer and start selling on Jan.20, Richard said it takes a little longer for applications to be submitted and the background check requires fingerprints are submitted in person.

“The [Arizona Department of Health Services] he himself is anxious not to be the body that stands in the way of adult cannabis, ”he said.

A spokesperson for the agency said New times Last week, licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, which means the number of dispensaries offering recreational products is likely to continue to increase over the next few days. At some point, the state will also license 26 new dispensaries as part of a social equity program, but details remain to be worked out.

A spokesperson said ADHS said the agency had already received 61 applications as of Wednesday afternoon.

Some local producers expect sales to grow threefold. Item 9 Labs chief revenue officer Bryce Skalla said the company had to find additional space to store the extra packaging it had sourced from.

“We have giant freight containers… just full of packaging,” he says. “Where do you put a million jars?”

Skalla also warned that for anyone trying marijuana products for the first time in decades, today’s products are much more potent. He recommends getting a quarter of what you think you should get.

Recreational sales are also subject to a 16% state tax and you can still get into trouble while smoking in public or driving while high, so be smart!

The vibe outside of the Curaleaf location in south central Phoenix was festive just after 2:30 p.m. Two fast lines of recreational and medical clients were separated by a velvet rope, while a DJ played.

Friends AJ Johnson and Bobby Jones were figuring out how to order online before heading home. Johnson said Phoenix new times that he was trying to buy the best flower they had.

“We want that shit that will get you high for two days,” he says.

Behind them online, welder Erick Fonseca said he came right after work after receiving a news alert on his phone. He was hoping to buy edibles to take advantage of the weather this weekend.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to get off the street,” he says. “It’s time they did something smart.”

Not everyone was excited about legalization.

“Now I have to wait in a long line,” said medical patient West Scott. He plans to keep his card to avoid the 16% excise tax on recreational sales.

Adding to the party atmosphere, Mesa chef Jacquelynn Hanley had been hired to provide the catering. She served lemon chicken, green beans with herbs, a pasta salad and a mixed green salad. Hanley said she usually does sophisticated events so it was a nice change.

“Everyone here has been very relaxed and relaxed,” she says. “They’re not picky at all.”

At Curaleaf’s Midtown site in Phoenix, around 30 people lined up just before 5 p.m. Many had come as soon as they heard on the news that the recreational sales had started.

“I discovered this earlier when I went to drop off my packages at UPS,” said Kisha Vega as she stood in line.

Nick Harper lives nearby and came over as soon as he saw an Instagram post saying sales were underway. He received a few cartridges that he uses to heal his leg.

“It’s a lot easier to get it for myself,” he said.

Keith Morris, a Curaleaf employee, was helping people pre-order before entering. He said the crowd was quite diverse.

“I think people know what they want,” he says.

Chella Marie had traveled to the store from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian community with her brother and two adult children as there are no clinics on the reservation. Marie has some concentrate for tonight. After making Fry Bread Friday for dinner, she plans to use cannabis and then create a play area for her grandchildren.

“Grandma is going to be there to laugh and sing with them,” she said.

While an elderly medical patient chose not to stand in line, others were happy to see other people accessing it. Teacher Emily Bacon saw legalization as a snapshot of Arizona’s youth and diversity.

“It’s fun to be a part of it,” she says.

(This story was updated a few hours after posting.)

Here is the list: