Recreational Marijuana News – MJ Shareholders https://mjshareholders.com The Ultimate Marijuana Business Directory Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Recreational marijuana is now on sale in Massachusetts, and Pumpkin Spice Dust is on the menu https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-is-now-on-sale-in-massachusetts-and-pumpkin-spice-dust-is-on-the-menu/ https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-is-now-on-sale-in-massachusetts-and-pumpkin-spice-dust-is-on-the-menu/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:48 +0000 https://www.foxcarolina.com/recreational-marijuana-is-now-on-sale-in-massachusetts-and-pumpkin/article_2143a964-2ebf-5c6c-a2e9-9030ce6c8d99.html

Recreational marijuana is now for sale on the East Coast.

Massachusetts became the first state east of the Mississippi to legally sell recreational weed Tuesday as two marijuana dispensaries opened to the public more than two years after voters approved its use.

The two dispensaries are Cultivate Holdings in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton, located in the central and western parts of the state, respectively.

“To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections, and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running,” Cannabis Control Commission Chairman Steven J. Hoffman said.

Massachusetts residents voted to legalize the use, distribution and cultivation of recreational marijuana in a 2016 referendum.

Both stores opened to long lines of customers eager to get their first taste of legal weed. The menu at Cultivate Holdings includes various strains of marijuana flower, edible cookies, oils, and something called Pumpkin Spice Dust.

Cultivate Holdings said on Instagram that its first customer was Stephen Mandile, an Iraq War veteran who was wounded in combat.

“It’s an honor, something amazing. I probably dreamed about it back in high school that this day would happen sometime,” Mandile told CNN affiliate WBZ. “I’ll be smoking some history later on today.”

New England Treatment Access’s first customer was Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, who grinned for cameras as he made the purchase.

Buyers must be at least 21 years old and the retailers cannot sell more than one ounce of marijuana or five grams of marijuana concentrate, according to the commission. Leicester Police warned that the legalization of weed does not make it legal to use while driving or for those under 21.

A number of states have legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes in recent years, and an October 2017 Gallup poll found that nearly two in three Americans say the drug should be legal.

Like Massachusetts, Maine approved recreational marijuana use in 2016, but the state has yet to develop rules to govern its sale. Washington, DC has also approved recreational cannabis use, but it is not yet legal to buy or sell there.

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-is-now-on-sale-in-massachusetts-and-pumpkin-spice-dust-is-on-the-menu/feed/ 0 3 more shops get green light to sell recreational marijuana in Massachusetts https://mjshareholders.com/3-more-shops-get-green-light-to-sell-recreational-marijuana-in-massachusetts/ https://mjshareholders.com/3-more-shops-get-green-light-to-sell-recreational-marijuana-in-massachusetts/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:44 +0000 https://whdh.com/news/3-more-shops-get-green-light-to-sell-recreational-marijuana-in-massachusetts/

SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) – Three more retail locations were given the green light to sell recreational marijuana in Massachusetts on Tuesday as people lined up in Leicester and Northampton to be among the first customers at the first two legal pot shops on the East Coast.

RELATED: What to expect as recreational marijuana sales get underway in Massachusetts

The Cannabis Control Commission approved retail licenses for Alternative Therapies Group (ATG).

ATG plans to open cannabis dispensaries in Salem, Amesbury, and Salisbury in the near future.

Cultivate and New England Treatment Access celebrated Tuesday’s grand opening by selling strains of the part of the marijuana plant that can be smoked, pre-rolled joints and edibles such as brownies and chocolate bars to thousands of people who braved the rain and snow.

Massachusetts voters approved recreational marijuana for adults in 2016.

(Copyright (c) 2018 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/3-more-shops-get-green-light-to-sell-recreational-marijuana-in-massachusetts/feed/ 0 Marijuana: Recreational pot is now for sale in Massachusetts https://mjshareholders.com/marijuana-recreational-pot-is-now-for-sale-in-massachusetts/ https://mjshareholders.com/marijuana-recreational-pot-is-now-for-sale-in-massachusetts/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:42 +0000 https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/20/us/massachusetts-marijuana-sales/index.html To continue using CNN.com, you need to update your web browser or use a different one.

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]]> https://mjshareholders.com/marijuana-recreational-pot-is-now-for-sale-in-massachusetts/feed/ 0 Live updates: First Massachusetts recreational marijuana dispensaries open https://mjshareholders.com/live-updates-first-massachusetts-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries-open/ https://mjshareholders.com/live-updates-first-massachusetts-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries-open/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:40 +0000 https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2018/11/20/live-updates-first-massachusetts-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries-open

Store officials said they were expecting ‘thousands‘ of customers. And they got them. (8:45 p.m.)

Cultivate stopped new customers from getting in line around 3 p.m., but not due to lack of supply. (5:02 p.m.)

Lines outside the dispensaries in Leicester and Northampton remained long during the afternoon. Cultivate is open until 8 p.m., while NETA will shut its doors at 10 p.m. (3 p.m.)

The wait time in Northampton is reportedly more than two hours, while in Leicester police are telling hopeful customers they have a three-hour wait ahead of them. (11:01 a.m.)

Update:

Cultivate saw more than 500 customers within the first two hours of sales. (10:35 a.m.) 

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz shared the receipt of his purchase, the first sale made at NETA, on Twitter. (10: 21 a.m.) 

Purchase of most of the edibles at Cultivate still require the customer to be a medical marijuana cardholder. (10:07 a.m.) 

Almost two hours into sales, the lines still stretched through the Cultivate parking lot. (9:55 a.m.)

Customers at the dispensaries noted the historic nature of being able to purchase marijuana legally for the first time. (9:45 a.m.)

Customers drove from as far away as New Jersey to visit the dispensaries. (9:21 a.m.) 

After an hour of sales, the line outside Cultivate has stretched through the parking lot to the road. (9:11 a.m.)

In Leicester, Cultivate has the required “consumer education” material on display. (8:56 a.m.) 

The line outside NETA was wrapped around the block after sales began. (8:35 a.m.)

One customer waiting in line outside the Northampton dispensary donned an apt costume for the historic day. (8:30 a.m.) 

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, the first customer at NETA, purchased a 50 mg chocolate bar, while Stephen Mandile, the first customer in Leicester, bought an eighth of “Jack Kerr” and a pre-rolled joint. (8:20 a.m.)

The first sales of recreational marijuana were made at both dispensaries. (8:02 a.m.)

People were let inside Cultivate before the official start of sales. (7:52 a.m.)

Staff members at NETA in Northampton prepared for the start of sales. (7:45 a.m.)

People have braved the sleet and cold to snag a spot in line outside the dispensaries in Leicester and Northampton. (7:25 a.m.)

It’s a day that has been years in the making.

The sale of recreational marijuana will begin Tuesday morning at two dispensaries in Massachusetts, more than two years after it was legalized for adults over the age of 21 by voters.

The state’s Cannabis Control Commission gave authorization on Friday for Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton to begin recreational sales on Tuesday.

The businesses, both existing medical marijuana dispensaries, open at 8 a.m.

In the meantime, catch up on what you need to know:

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/live-updates-first-massachusetts-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries-open/feed/ 0 West Wendover approves recreational marijuana sales https://mjshareholders.com/west-wendover-approves-recreational-marijuana-sales/ https://mjshareholders.com/west-wendover-approves-recreational-marijuana-sales/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:29 +0000 https://fox13now.com/2018/11/20/west-wendover-approves-recreational-marijuana-sales/
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WEST WENDOVER, Nev. — The city council has voted to approve recreational marijuana sales, a move that the mayor believes will be an economic boon to this casino border town.

“I’m sure their sales are going to be high,” Mayor Daniel Corona told FOX 13 after the vote, adding: “Pun not intended.”

The council voted 3-2 in favor of recreational marijuana sales at its meeting Tuesday night. The vote came shortly after a new council member was sworn into office. Kathy Durham defeated John Hanson, who was part of a critical vote earlier this year that blocked recreational sales.

In remarks explaining her vote, Durham called for the city to “regulate it from seed to sale.”

“I’m sorry this issue divides us, and I hope after tonight we can move forward,” she said.

FOX 13 first reported on West Wendover city leaders’ efforts to bring recreational marijuana to the border town last year. City officials toured a Mesquite grow facility and dispensary to see how it worked. The council originally approved an ordinance allowing medical marijuana with the option to expand it to recreational.

But when that vote came up earlier this year, the council voted 3-2 against it. Mayor Corona vetoed that decision, leaving recreational sales in limbo.

On Tuesday, council members said their votes were reflecting the will of West Wendover residents, who did vote in 2016 in support of recreational cannabis sales statewide.

“It was clearly chosen by the voters the first time it went through,” said Councilman Izzy Gutierrez. “This election was another strong message from the voters that they wanted it.”

But councilmen Nick Flores and Jerry Anderson both said they were uncomfortable with recreational marijuana sales.

“I’m all for medical marijuana. I’m behind it 100 percent,” Flores said. “I don’t feel like recreational marijuana sales at this time is a proper way to go.”

Mayor Corona has argued recreational marijuana would benefit the community that’s population 5,000 on weekdays and balloons to 20,000 on weekends (mostly Utahns who make the 90-minute drive from the Wasatch Front to gamble, take in a concert or visit the discount liquor stores). He said it would add 38 good paying jobs and bring in more visitors to the community.

“There will be a lot of people here. Again, we have to make sure that we stress to those who are coming from Utah and out of state to purchase marijuana, it is illegal to transport across state lines,” he said.

Nevada has broken tax records for marijuana sales. In its first year, the Silver State sold more than a half-billion in pot. 

West Wendover’s lone dispensary license has already been spoken for. Deep Roots Harvest, which operates a grow operation and a dispensary in Mesquite, won a contract to build a dispensary here. But where they were planning to dispense medical marijuana, they will now expand into recreational sales.

Marijuana sales are expected to start in summer 2019.

“We’re looking to do it right the first time and we definitely respect everyone in Utah,” said Councilwoman Jasie Holm. “And we know this is a playground. We’re going to do it right. We’re going to make it strict and I think it’s going to be good.”

Utah voters did recently approve Proposition 2, which does legalize medical cannabis when it goes into effect Dec. 1. But under a bill being proposed by the legislature that would swap out the citizen ballot initiative, the cannabis obtained through the state would be distributed through state-run dispensaries.

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]]> https://mjshareholders.com/west-wendover-approves-recreational-marijuana-sales/feed/ 0 Massachusetts mayor first in line as recreational marijuana sales begin https://mjshareholders.com/massachusetts-mayor-first-in-line-as-recreational-marijuana-sales-begin/ https://mjshareholders.com/massachusetts-mayor-first-in-line-as-recreational-marijuana-sales-begin/#respond Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:45:28 +0000 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/massachusetts-recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-mayor-ceremonial-first-customer/

Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast Tuesday to allow recreational marijuana sales, meaning tens of millions of adult consumers, including those in New York City, are now within a three-hour drive from a pot shop.

CBS News correspondent Tony Dokoupil reports from Northampton, Massachusetts, where one of two stores opening in the state is located and where David Narkewicz will welcome legal recreational marijuana as both the ceremonial first customer and the town’s mayor.

“I think there’s a lot going on here in trying to bring marijuana out of the shadows,” Narkewicz said.

nfa-dokoupil-mass-legal-weed-needs-tracks-and-gfx-frame-0.jpg

Mayor David Narkewicz  

CBS News

But when asked whether the purchase is simply ceremonial or it will be consumed, Narkewicz said, “I am actually going to probably preserve it and display it…because it is historically significant.”

Massachusetts is the seventh state to open retail marijuana shops, but the first to open them east of the Mississippi. The milestone comes as the cannabis industry celebrates a series of new highs.

Earlier this month, Michigan became the first Midwestern state to approve recreational cannabis– joining 10 other states and Washington, D.C. In October, Canada became the first major world economy to legalize recreational marijuana.

But the steady march of marijuana legalization has Dr. Sharon Levy concerned. She runs the adolescent substance use and addiction program at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Instead of saying, ‘Well, we’ll assume these things are safe until they’re proven harmful,’ maybe we should be saying ‘These things might be harmful until they’re proven safe.’ I don’t think that’s something we’ve done a very good job with,” Levy said.

Amanda Rositano is the director of operational compliance for New England Treatment Access – or NETA – which, as of today, sells a range of cannabis products including pre-rolled joints, loose buds, oils and edibles to anyone over the age of 21.

“I think dependence can be an issue just like dependence can be an issue when it comes to ice cream. We will advocate using moderation, educate people about cannabis,” Rositano said.

Under Massachusetts law, retail shops can sell each customer no more than an ounce of flower or 20 servings of edibles – both in child-resistant packaging. For now, those restrictions and others are good enough for Mayor Narkewizc.

“There has been marijuana use going on in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a long, long time. What’s changing is it’s now being regulated. It’s now being tested. It’s now being strictly monitored. That’s really the major change that’s happening,” Narkewizc said.

Massachusetts legalized recreational marijuana more than two years ago, but retail stores had to meet a number of rigorous conditions laid out by the state before opening. The initial small rollout is intentional. Lawmakers are hoping to avoid problems other states, like Colorado, have faced such as increases in crime.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/massachusetts-mayor-first-in-line-as-recreational-marijuana-sales-begin/feed/ 0 More signatures will be required on recreational marijuana, other petitions, due to high voter turnout https://mjshareholders.com/more-signatures-will-be-required-on-recreational-marijuana-other-petitions-due-to-high-voter-turnout/ https://mjshareholders.com/more-signatures-will-be-required-on-recreational-marijuana-other-petitions-due-to-high-voter-turnout/#respond Tue, 20 Nov 2018 06:29:12 +0000 https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/marijuana/more-signatures-will-be-required-on-recreational-marijuana-other-petitions/article_2aff2caa-d11e-5506-80b0-838fd6329ea3.html

OKLAHOMA CITY — Recreational marijuana supporters haven’t given up a desire to get the issue on the ballot, despite having a steeper hill to climb following the Nov. 6 election.

Increased voter turnout resulted in a larger number of signatures required for a citizen-led effort to change a law or amend the constitution.

Voters cast 824,831 votes for governor in 2014, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board.

The figure rose to 1,186,385 in the most recent gubernatorial election Nov. 6, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board.

The signature requirements for ballot initiatives are based on a percentage of the number of votes cast in a gubernatorial election.

“After every election, we have to recalculate those,” said Bryan Dean, as spokesman for the Oklahoma State Election Board. “It used to be some were based on the gubernatorial election and some were based on the presidential election.

“But the law recently changed to tie them directly to the gubernatorial figures. That made it a little more simple.”

Initiative petitions for statutory changes require 8 percent to get on the ballot.

The previous requirement was 65,987 signatures. The new threshold is 94,911.

Initiatives seeking to amend the state constitution previously required 123,725 signatures. The new amount is 177,958 signatures.

The threshold is 15 percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.

Voters on June 26 approved State Question 788 to allow the use of medical marijuana following the circulation of a petition seeking a statutory change.

Voters cast 507,582 ballots in favor of it and 385,176 against it.

A second petition seeking to make a constitutional change to legalize recreational marijuana by means of State Question 797 failed to secure the required signatures to get the issue on the ballot.

The Secretary of State’s office counted a total of 102,814 for State Question 797, well short of the 123,725 signatures required at the time to get it on the ballot.

The petition was circulated by Green the Vote.

Chris Moe, a Green the Vote spokesman, said the increased threshold will not deter future efforts to get legalization of recreational marijuana on the ballot and the effort is not dead.

“I think 507,000 (votes for medical marijuana) made it clear we can overcome when we unite,” Moe said.

He said the new requirement of 177,958 signatures for a constitutional amendment to be put on the ballot is not impossible.

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/more-signatures-will-be-required-on-recreational-marijuana-other-petitions-due-to-high-voter-turnout/feed/ 0 Recreational Marijuana Opens In MA Tuesday: What To Know https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-opens-in-ma-tuesday-what-to-know/ https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-opens-in-ma-tuesday-what-to-know/#respond Tue, 20 Nov 2018 06:29:04 +0000 https://patch.com/massachusetts/worcester/recreational-marijuana-opens-ma-tuesday-what-know  

Two stores west of Worcester will open their doors Tuesday morning to an expected rush of people looking to make long-awaited pot purchases. The openings come more than two years after Massachusetts voted to approve a ballot question giving recreational marijuana the green light.

Cultivate Holdings in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton will become the first stores on the East Coast to sell recreational marijuana, making Massachusetts the seventh state to allow it. Traffic is expected to be heavy as media and pot pilgrims make their way to the Central and Western Mass. communities. Both stores already sell medical marijuana.

NETA will open at 8 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., and will continue to do so seven days a week. The Northampton location’s menu (there’s also a medical dispensary in Brookline) has a smorgasbord of options, with one gram of marijuana going for $15 and four ounces for $1,000. NETA is at 118 Conz St., Northampton.

Cultivate will usually open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., according to its website, but on Tuesday it opens at 8 a.m. The menu has items going for as low as $10, but you’ll need $15 for the peanut butter oatmeal cookie and $25 for the coconut lime macaroon. Cultivate is at 1764 Main St., Leicester.

Pharmacannis Massachusetts in Wareham has a final retail license but has more hoops to jump through before becoming the first recreational marijuana retailer in Eastern Mass. Several other retail licenses are being considered.

>>>Read: Who Was Behind Recreational Marijuana Push And Why

An Iraq veteran is set to make the first purchase at Cultivate at 8 a.m., The Boston Globe reported. Around the same time, Air Force veteran and Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz will be make the first recreational marijuana purchase at NETA.

“As a supporter, long-time supporter, both of legalization of medical marijuana and as a supporter of adult-use marijuana, I think it sends an important message that I’d be the first person to make that purchase,” Narkewicz said at a press conference at NETA. “There’s obviously been a lot of stigma around marijuana in this country. Massachusetts has moved forward on it … and Northampton has been a strong supporter of that.”

There are still a strict set of laws set up around the sale, possession, and consumption of marijuana: just like alcohol, you have to be 21 years or older to purchase, and you’ll have to present government-issued identification. You also can’t drive while high – operating under the influence of marijuana carries with it the same penalties as operating under the influence of alcohol.

You will only be allowed to smoke at your home or other private places. If you rent, your landlord could prohibit it. You can still consume edibles even if you rent.

Pot is only permitted in your vehicle if it’s in a sealed container or in the trunk or locked glove box.

State regulations say you can only buy up to an ounce of marijuana and up to five grams of marijuana concentrate, but even that may be tough to come by Tuesday. The anticipated high demand could mean “it is possible that there will be some initial purchase limits,” NETA said.

There is also a 5 milligram serving size limit for edibles.

If you’re making the drive, be safe and bring cash. Some bank and credit cards aren’t up to speed on accepting marijuana purchases yet.

Recreational marijuana purchases will be subject to a 6.25 percent sales tax, a 10.75 percent excise tax, and potentially a 3 percent tax from the municipality it’s in.

Photo: A customer pays for cannabis products at Essence Vegas Cannabis Dispensary after the start of recreational marijuana sales began on July 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada joins seven other states allowing recreational marijuana use and becomes the first of four states that voted to legalize recreational sales in November’s election to allow dispensaries to sell cannabis for recreational use to anyone over 21. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

 

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]]> https://mjshareholders.com/recreational-marijuana-opens-in-ma-tuesday-what-to-know/feed/ 0 NETA holding news conference ahead of recreational marijuana sales https://mjshareholders.com/neta-holding-news-conference-ahead-of-recreational-marijuana-sales/ https://mjshareholders.com/neta-holding-news-conference-ahead-of-recreational-marijuana-sales/#respond Tue, 20 Nov 2018 06:28:55 +0000 https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampshire-county/neta-holding-news-conference-ahead-of-recreational-marijuana-sales/1606793338

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – New England Treatment Access in Northampton held a news conference Monday afternoon ahead of its first day of recreational marijuana sales.

NETA will begin recreational marijuana sales at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, becoming one of the first two dispensaries to do so in Massachusetts.

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz announced during the news conference Monday that he’d be making the first legal purchase.

“It’s a symbolic purchase, I’ll probably just purchase one of their chocolate bars most likely,” Narkewicz said. “Obviously it will be a historic artifact of tomorrow, so I won’t be consuming it, although I’ve heard a few jokes about that.”

NETA said they anticipate long lines when doors open Tuesday morning.

Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper said there will be officers directing traffic on each end of Fulton Ave on opening day. 

To get to NETA, drivers can travel north and southbound on Pleasant Street and turn onto Fulton Ave. Kasper said Fulton Ave will be turned into a one-way street Tuesday, so once drivers are ready to exit NETA, they will be directed onto Conz Street.

During the news conference, NETA’s Director of Diversity Programs Kim Napoli said medical marijuana patients remain their top priority.

Patients will have access to special lines and reserved inventory on opening day for recreational sales, and every day after.

Full news conference: 

Related:

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/neta-holding-news-conference-ahead-of-recreational-marijuana-sales/feed/ 0 I-Team: Recreational Marijuana Sales Raise Safety Concerns https://mjshareholders.com/i-team-recreational-marijuana-sales-raise-safety-concerns/ https://mjshareholders.com/i-team-recreational-marijuana-sales-raise-safety-concerns/#respond Tue, 20 Nov 2018 06:28:47 +0000 https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/11/19/iteam-recreational-marijuana-safety-security-pot-shops-massachusetts/ BOSTON (CBS) – Security experts say Massachusetts’ new marijuana shops are like modern-day fortresses, where nothing valuable stays in one place for long.

“These stores don’t keep product overnight in a lot of instances,” said Ed Davis, who has helped some of them draw up strict security plans leading up to this week’s recreational sales debut. He’s acted as a consultant to several, including New England Treatment Access, or NETA, in Northampton.

“Security is our number one priority,” said NETA Compliance Director Amanda Rositano.

weed1 I Team: Recreational Marijuana Sales Raise Safety Concerns

Employees weigh marijuana inside NETA in Northampton (WBZ-TV)

While NETA accepts cash, debit, and only credit cards with pins, federal restrictions around marijuana sales make it difficult, if not impossible, for banks to do business with dispensaries. That makes most pot shops cash rich targets.

FBI data shows crime in Denver shot up 44 percent after recreational pot sales became legal. Davis said Denver’s police chief briefed him on “burglaries or…cases where people were trying to access product or money.”

weed2 I Team: Recreational Marijuana Sales Raise Safety Concerns

Marijuana inside NETA in Northampton (WBZ-TV)

Several months ago, Colorado’s outgoing governor said it’s been such a problem, he wouldn’t rule out returning to a pot ban. In Aurora, a 24-year-old Marine veteran was gunned down while working as a guard at a weed dispensary. His widow, who’s now raising their kids alone, spoke to reporters through tears. “I never thought that this would happen to me,” she said.

“This is a big concern and it’s being addressed,” said Davis. While dispensaries were reluctant to show the I-Team their security secrets, Davis, shared exclusive details. “Moving the cash proceeds off the premises frequently,” is among the most important strategies. He said stores constantly move marijuana and money in unmarked secured vehicles.

Storage areas are off-limits to most. “They’re only accessible by designated staff,” said Rositano.

cameras1 I Team: Recreational Marijuana Sales Raise Safety Concerns

Security cameras inside NETA (WBZ-TV)

There’s also a state-of-the-art network of 24-hour cameras and panic buttons. “A signal goes out either to a contractor or to someone else in the facility that can call the police immediately,” said Davis.

“We know that there are going to be increases in impaired operators. We know there are going to be increases in youth use,” said Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper. As far as thefts, she says she doesn’t know what to expect. “Outside the parking lot, people who are carrying product and large amounts of cash going in, so we’re certainly aware that that’s a possibility.”

Davis says it’s a fact of life. “We have studied that. We’ve looked at what happened, and we have systems in place to deal with that…I believe that Massachusetts has learned from what Colorado went through, and we will not see the same kind of problems here.”

]]> https://mjshareholders.com/i-team-recreational-marijuana-sales-raise-safety-concerns/feed/ 0