Five state governments gave voters the chance to decide whether to legalize marijuana within their respective borders in November 2016.
After only a few months from counting the ballots, several recreational marijuana dispensaries have opened up in Nevada, which is now the fifth state to legalize retail and private recreational consumption of the substance.
Legal Restrictions For Purchase
People should not just assume that they can buy as much marijuana as they want because there are rules in place to regulate the substance.
Only people aged 21 and above are allowed to make a purchase and they must present a valid identification card to prove their age. They will only be allowed to purchase a maximum of one ounce of marijuana.
Of course, to keep things orderly, it is still unlawful to consume marijuana in public places, not even in hotels — even if they are checked in. Anyone looking to smoke weed are only allowed to do so inside private residences.
A Long Line Of Consumers
People were already lined up by the hundreds outside marijuana retail stores as the last hours of June 30 trickled and before the stores even opened up at midnight.
Some of the stores even closed before catering to all the people waiting their turn due to the huge number of customers who turned up to purchase the legal amount.
According to one customer who waited in line at 5:45 am, she had already lined up outside another shop before midnight but it closed before she was even able to purchase anything.
However, not all customers lined up to consume the substance they bought, others just wanted to be a part of history.
Todd Weatherhead, who lined up outside Sierra Wellness Connection in Reno beginning past 4 p.m. on June 30, is proud to be the first person to make a legal recreational marijuana purchase in the State.
"Right at 12:01 a.m., they already have my transaction ready so that I can be the first in the state," Weatherhead said.
While Weatherhead is a weed user, his plan for the purchase is to frame and showcase it in his home, along with the receipt.
Medical Vs Recreational Marijuana
As for the dispensaries, they are looking into balancing their supply of medical and recreational marijuana.
"Even though it's becoming recreational we want to make sure that our patients are taken care of," Sahara Wellness co-owner Brenda Gunsallus assured.
Terra Tech Corp. director of retail operations Mikel Alvarez also extends the same assurance.
"Patients will always bypass the queue ... because we want to make sure our patients are getting taken care of and they're not waiting for their medicine," Alvarez stated.
Terra Tech Corp. owns Blum dispensaries.
