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Leicester officials prepare for the crowd on Tuesday as the legal marijuana sale for recreational purposes began at Cultivate Holdings LLC.
Cultivate is one of two Massachusetts companies to get the OK Friday from the state's Cannabis Control Commission to start selling marijuana to adults. Northampton New England Treatment Access LLC has also been authorized to open its doors to recreational pot users.
The approval came two years after Massachusetts residents voted to legalize marijuana and followed months of inspections, background checks and preparations for a new industry.
Sam Barber, CEO and founder of Cultivate, said in a statement that the company was honored to have "built the story" on Tuesday by selling the first legal recreational cannabis east of Mississippi.
"We look forward to selling the highest quality cannabis to consumers and simultaneously educating the public on how to take advantage of our products responsibly," Barber said in a statement. "We have created dozens of jobs and hope to generate revenue and make a positive contribution to the region and region in which we operate."
It's unclear what kind of response the public expect Tuesday to Cultivate. When recreational marijuana sales began in Colorado and California, they took place at several sites. Massachusetts, however, is launching sales at only two sites, said Leicester Police Chief James J. Hurley. If crowds come forward, he said, his department wants to get customers through the business quickly and safely.
"We have developed a special operations plan for the department that will deal with traffic, parking, crowds," said Chief Hurley.
Cultivate, located at 1764 Main Street, plans to arrange shuttles between its store and a satellite parking located near Route 9 near the Spencer line. The company also plans to limit the number of people allowed in the store and set up an outdoor tent to accommodate people waiting to enter.
Chief Hurley said his department did not want to dissuade clients from becoming a legal business. As a result, the on-site police officers who direct traffic or crowds will not carry a body camera, he said.
"We want to see them succeed," he said. "I'm not pro-marijuana, but marijuana sales are legal and my point of view does not matter."
Cultivate started selling marijuana for medical purposes in Leicester almost a year ago. The company employs 35 people full-time and grows, packs and sells its product on site.
"This signal to open marijuana retail establishments marks a milestone for voters who have approved the legal use of adult cannabis in our state," said Steven Hoffman, president of the CCC. "While customers are eager to visit Massachusetts stores, we hope they will do their part by first familiarizing themselves with the law and understanding what is required of responsible consumers."
The CCC, at 4:20 pm press release Friday announcing the start of legal sales, reminded consumers that it is illegal to consume marijuana in public or while driving a vehicle and that it is illegal to carry any marijuana legally purchased across state borders.
Both retailers are already selling marijuana to medical marijuana program patients in the state, have passed CCC inspections and have their products approved by an independent testing laboratory. All products must also be connected to the CCC tracking system, which aims to track the marijuana of the seed for sale.
NETA, located at 118 Conz Street in Northampton, has announced its intention to start the recreational sales Tuesday at 8 am and will remain open until 10 pm.
"We will be delighted to be part of this milestone for Massachusetts when NETA Northampton opens its doors to adults 21 years of age and older who offer legal, safe and regulated cannabis," said Norton Arbelaez, NETA's director of government affairs. in a statement.
Once sales begin, customers 21 years of age or older will be able to buy up to one ounce of marijuana or up to five grams of marijuana concentrate at a time – amounts equal to the legal possession limits of # 39; State. It is unclear whether NETA or Cultivate will impose their own purchase limits while the number of customers expecting in the stores is imminent.
Marijuana has been legalized in Massachusetts as a result of a series of voting initiatives that began with the decriminalization in 2008 of marijuana possession. In 2012, voters approved a medical marijuana treatment program and advocates returned to the poll in 2016 to move to full legalization of adults.
"We can legitimately talk about state delays and problematic local opposition, but it remains that we are the first state in the east of the Mississippi (river) to offer legal and tested cannabis to adult consumers in safe retail establishments, "said Jim Borghesani, a marijuana industry consultant who acted as a spokesperson for the 2016 voting initiative, said Friday.
"This is a historic distinction for Massachusetts, and we are now going to be at the forefront of replacing the persistent fears of reefer craze with a rational approach that benefits consumers." and to the communities. "
CCC on Friday encouraged potential cannabis users to visit MoreAboutMJ.org – the seat of CCC's public awareness campaign – required by law – to learn about the effects of marijuana use. resources on prevention and learn the basics of adult lifestyle. use the marijuana law.
– State House News Service information was used in this report.
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