Pubdate: Sat, 01 Aug 2015
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2015 Reno Gazette-Journal
Contact: http://www.rgj.com/letters
Website: http://www.rgj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/363
Author: Chanelle Bessette

STATE'S FIRST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY OPENS TO CHEERING CROWD

The long-awaited grand opening of Nevada's first medical marijuana 
dispensary happened Friday morning in Sparks.

More than three dozen people arrived early to wait in line outside 
the doors of Silver State Relief, snaking their way along the 
building and into the parking lot. They filled out forms as they 
waited, eager to purchase the first legal, commercially sold 
marijuana in the state.

Nevada's first medical marijuana dispensary opens in Reno on July 31, 
2015. Andy Barron

"I'm way more emotional than I thought I would be," said Aron Swan, 
general manager of the dispensary.

Swan and his team faced many delays on the road to their grand 
opening, such as new testing requirements being passed at the 
eleventh hour before their previously-planned grand opening on July 13.

Though his customers are being limited to half an ounce of marijuana, 
which is a fifth of what they are legally allowed to have per 14-day 
period, Swan worries that the dispensary won't be able to maintain 
enough product before their next batch becomes available.

"We're working on getting more plants processed and tested," Swan said.

The crowd in front of the dispensary was diverse in age, with the 
majority of the card holders being older.

"If you look around, it's boomers," said Dana Metz, one of the 
patients waiting in line. "We're not here to just get high and have a 
good time. We're here for medical purposes."

Linda Seibert, another patient, said that she is very excited about 
the dispensary opening. After she was in an accident, she said she 
had many medical problems and was given opiates to deal with the 
pain. She wanted an alternative solution.

"I was appalled that (legal medical marijuana) was passed in the 
early 2000s, and it has taken this long to get a dispensary," Seibert 
said. "I've been watching the industry with interest, and I think 
this will be a positive experience."

When the doors of Silver State Relief opened at 10 a.m., the crowd 
cheered and clapped, and the line moved forward as the first 
customers were helped.
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