Washington
stores opened their doors on Tuesday to sell cannabis legally for the first
time. Here's what you need to know
The price of two grams of a strain of marijuana named 'Sweet Lafayette' is displayed at Top Shelf Cannabis in Bellingham, Washington. Photograph: Ted S Warren/AP |
A few Washington
stores are opening their doors on Tuesday to sell recreational marijuana,
legally, for the first time in the state. The Evergreen State joins Colorado as
the only US states that allows the sale and possession of recreational
marijuana.
Where can
people legally buy marijuana in Washington?
The state’s
liquor control board granted 25 retail marijuana licenses on Monday, but only
six of those stores planned to open on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Stores are suffering from the high demand but low supply of cannabis,
which can only be acquired from state-certified growers.
Washington
authorities capped the number of possible retail stores at 334, but the stores
remain blocked in some local jurisdictions.
The state
has granted so few licenses because it is overwhelmed by the demand for the
permits. More than 7,000 people applied for marijuana licenses, inundating the
18 licensing investigators tasked with with reviewing marijuana growing license applications.
How much
does a legal gram cost?
While some
stores have said they will sell a gram from $10 to $12 – comparable to prices
at unregulated dispensaries in the state – others anticipate selling marijuana
at $20 a gram or more because of the low supply and high taxes, which are 25% wholesale
and 25% at retail.
Do you have
to be a Washington resident to buy from licensed dispensaries?
No, but you
do have to be 21 or older. If you meet that requirement, you can purchase up to
an ounce of dried marijuana, up to 7g of concentrated marijuana (like hash) and
up to 16oz of pot-infused treats (like edibles). Edibles, however, must be
approved by the state and no stores have been granted that approval yet.
Where can
people consume cannabis?
Public
consumption isn’t allowed in Washington – so smoking or ingesting edibles is
prohibited on streets, in parks or other public places. It is legal in people's
homes, though apartment complexes and hotels can ban smoking, especially if the
building already has anti-tobacco smoking laws. State authorities are
considering legalizing the activity at specially created private-use clubs or
other similar locations.
How did
recreational marijuana become legal in Washington?
Washington
residents voted in favor of the legalization initiative, I-502, in November
2012. It went into effect in December of that year, but lawmakers were given a
year to establish the procedures and criteria necessary to implement the law.
Implementation
of the law was also delayed because marijuana is still considered a narcotic by
the federal government. As the government works to change drug policy, it has
not shown much interest in interfering with the states' laws, and in April, US
attorney general Eric Holder said he is “cautiously optimistic” about the
initiatives in Washington and Colorado.
Is this
different from Colorado's recreational marijuana law?
Yes, there
are considerable differences between the two states' laws. One key difference
is that Colorado licenses permit people to grow and sell marijuana while
Washington separates the activities. Also, only people with licenses can grow
marijuana in Washington, while Colorado allows residents to home grow pot.
What other
states are expected to legalize recreational marijuana?
An
initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Alaska is set to appear on the
state ballot in November, though it was originally to be voted on in August.
The proposal would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to 1oz of marijuana
and to grow as many as six cannabis plants for personal consumption, as well as
set up foundations for creating commercial marijuana sales in the state.
Campaigners
are focusing on getting initiatives on state ballots in the 2016 election,
especially in states that have demonstrated openness to legalization, such as
Nevada and California, which was the first state to legalize medicinal
marijuana and has also decriminalized marijuana. In December, state attorney general Kamala Harris said that legalization would save the state millions of
dollars annually.
New York’s
governor Andrew Cuomo signed a medical marijuana bill into law on Monday,
though he is cagey about full legalization.
Washington
DC is also considering legalization, but because it isn't a state, any initiatives
are up for congressional review. Mayor Vincent Gray signed a bill
decriminalizing possession up to one ounce, but House Republicans have blocked funding for the bill.
Marijuana sales kick off in Washington state – but sellers are in short supply
Ganja free: Jamaica decriminalises marijuana for personal use
Wendy Cook
puts up a banner at Cannabis City, the sole
dispensary with a state license to
sell recreational marijuana.
Photograph: Zuma/Rex
|
Related Articles:
Marijuana sales kick off in Washington state – but sellers are in short supply
Ganja free: Jamaica decriminalises marijuana for personal use
35 mayors call for regulated marijuana production; minister says no
'Tell that old man to stop lying': Uruguay’s president chides UN official over marijuana law
'Tell that old man to stop lying': Uruguay’s president chides UN official over marijuana law
No comments:
Post a Comment