Pubdate: Sat, 28 Dec 2013
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
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Author: Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press

DENVER SHOPS GET 1ST 'POT' LICENSES

Mood Giddy As City Gears for Recreational-Marijuana Sales

DENVER (AP) - The first group of Denver businesses approved to sell 
recreational marijuana got their licenses Friday, with the owners 
posing for pictures and saying they never thought they'd see the day 
when they'd get a permit to sell the product.

Applause broke out and cameras whirred when the first license was 
issued from the city's Excise and Licenses Department. The city 
awarded 10 licenses for retail shops, 12 licenses for marijuana 
growers and two licenses for makers of cannabis-infused products such 
as marijuana brownies.

One businessman joked about getting arrested for having a joint at a 
1971 Black Sabbath concert. Others shared hugs and stories about 
marijuana's route to legalization.

"I think it's about time that adults can imbibe in marijuana," said 
Donald Andrews of LoDo Wellness Center, one of the eight shops to 
receive permits.

The licensed sellers went through a state and local licensing process 
that included public hearings to ask neighbors about shop locations. 
Owners also underwent more than a dozen fire and building inspections 
for each shop.

"It's been a grueling process, but we're finally here," said Justin 
Jones, owner of Dank Colorado, a retail shop.

Recreational marijuana for adults older than 21 has been legal in 
Colorado for more than a year, but retail sales of the drug aren't 
allowed until 8 a.m. Wednesday. Washington state, the only other 
state to allow recreational marijuana use by adults, plans to have 
stores open by late spring.

Denver is one of 19 municipalities and seven counties in Colorado 
that will allow retail sales of recreational marijuana.

Only existing medical marijuana businesses are now allowed to make 
the transition to recreational sales. The licensed shops Friday were 
handed red posters and stacks of fliers instructing customers on 
marijuana limits, including the fact that users can't consume it in 
public, drive high, or take the drug out of state.

"These are big businesses that have been operating in good standing 
in our city for a long time," said Amber Miller, spokesman for Denver 
Mayor Michael Hancock.

Colorado has approved 348 marijuana business licenses. More than 100 
of those are still pending in Denver, meaning the city is likely to 
have many more shops in the first few months of 2014.

Still unclear is what Wednesday morning will look like.

Some shop owners are planning to install purchasing caps and other 
limits to try to avoid a run on marijuana.

"We're hoping next week will be a fun-filled experience but a 
responsible one," said Elan Nelson of Medicine Man, a licensed shop 
and growing center in northeast Denver. "But this is a new experience 
for all of us, I guess we'll just have to find out."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom