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.)

As they wrap up for the night, Cultivate says their final customer tally for the day is “over a thousand,” with the most popular selling items being their Chocolate OG flower and their edible gummy cubes.

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 21, 2018

.@netacaremass is telling me the company expects to have served a total of about 2,000 customers by the time its store in Northampton closes at 10 p.m.

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 21, 2018

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

Cultivate has begun turning customers away. The end of the current line isn’t expected to get until around closing time at 8 p.m. they’ve had over 1,000 customers so far.

— Zachary Comeau (@ZWComeau) November 20, 2018

The store is urging people to come back tomorrow, but it’s worth noting that they’ll be open at 10 a.m. (not 8 a.m. like today) and that 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. will be their normal operating hours going forward. Closed for Thanksgiving and other major holidays though.

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

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.)

And the people just keep coming. A shuttle just added to the ever-long line.
The folks at Cultivate say about 500 people have been through to get weed in different iterations. They’re expecting “at least 500 more”. @WBUR pic.twitter.com/tR6eF1xE5k

— Quincy J. Walters (@quincy_walters) November 20, 2018

Still a steady stream of customers in #Leicester the first day of recreational sales. Officially, it’s a two hour wait, but many have been here since early this morning. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/UbOuQjEKsd

— Julie Loncich (@JulieLoncich) November 20, 2018

RIGHT NOW: Security in #Leicester has shut down the parking lot. No more new customers for the day. Security tells me there are 400-500 people in line at the store and it closes at 8pm. They said people have been taking a long time to shop. #marijuana #7News pic.twitter.com/JMPRShr952

— Justin Dougherty (@DoughertyJC) November 20, 2018

The line for recreational marijuana sales wraps around the block in Northampton, despite the rain. What this means to the area and local colleges on @NBC10Boston & @NECN at 4 & 5pm pic.twitter.com/Q4lHMJkkhg

— Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston (@AlyshaNBCBoston) November 20, 2018

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.)

Meanwhile, these enterprising folks from a nearby tattoo laser removal shop are out on “munchie patrol,” trying to drum up business by handing out brownies. pic.twitter.com/v8LUW2AHIo

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

The situation is about the same here at Cultivate. The people just now getting in the door say they got here around 8:30 a.m. https://t.co/ZD9NpHPrGl

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Long line of cars waiting to get to the parking lot for Cultivate in Leicester on this first day of recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts. Leicester police cruisers have been patrolling up and down the line. @masslivenews pic.twitter.com/9yd4luoV92

— Melissa Hanson (@Melissa__Hanson) November 20, 2018

A cop going from car to car in Leicester is telling customers it will be a 3-hour wait from now to get to Cultivate to buy recreational marijuana. @masslivenews

— Melissa Hanson (@Melissa__Hanson) November 20, 2018

Update:

Here’s the line of cars making its way into satellite parking. They’ll then get in line, to get onto a shuttle van, to head to #Cultivate, to get in line to get in. #Leicester pic.twitter.com/v37VpyqKIi

— Susan Tran (@susantran) November 20, 2018

Here’s line to get into #Cultivate. #Leicester PD Chief says they’ve seen about 600 people. It’s only 11:30a. They’re gonna well exceed 1,000 they estimated. Store closes at 8p. #PotDay1 #NBC10Boston #NECN pic.twitter.com/5JvGsPGNHe

— Susan Tran (@susantran) November 20, 2018

Meanwhile, @mlevenson and I drove down to the parking lot at Everlast Nursery, but couldn’t get very far. There’s a pretty significant snaking line of cars, just waiting for spots in the lot.

And that’s before they wait outside the dispensary itself. Word of the day: Patience!

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

Here’s NETA’s state license from @MA_Cannabis pic.twitter.com/9VjlXfDBSR

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

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

Employees say they counted more than 500 people in the first two hours.

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

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

The receipt is part of the historic first purchase! Plus, I needed to make sure #NorthamptonMA was properly credited its local share of new tax revenue. pic.twitter.com/wytIGImGdy

— David Narkewicz (@MayorNarkewicz) November 20, 2018

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

With the exception of the gummy cubes, Cultivate’s edibles are currently only available for medical cardholders. pic.twitter.com/5GvWR2haDH

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Another reason to get that medical card: Marijuana-infused pumpkin spice dust 👀 pic.twitter.com/D3wNrssyAT

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

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

Less than two hours after the start, here’s where the line is (and it goes further than my video could catch!) pic.twitter.com/UUKC0IvGY2

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

On his way out the door, someone says to me “They should give out a badge…. it’s called 50 years in the making!”

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

Sam Barber, the president of Cultivate: “We’re really happy to see everybody smiling, even though it’s not the best weather. But either way it’s a really great day.”

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Barber also stresses the safety element: “This is new for the state. People need to be aware that you can’t drive under the influence of this, same as alcohol. And if it’s your first time using, start low, go slow.”

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

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

Ralph Raposa started using marijuana almost 50 years ago. This is his first legal purchase. He picked the strain because of its high THC content pic.twitter.com/M11p9IPSdb

— ally jarmanning (@allyjarmanning) November 20, 2018

Paul Perry, 57, an unemployed salesman from Milford who grows his own marijuana in a barn, prepares to be among the first to legally buy recreational pot in MA. “I want to join in and support it. I’ve waited long enough. Too long.” pic.twitter.com/jcI8pGVHcO

— Michael Levenson (@mlevenson) November 20, 2018

Sandra Bylaska, 62, an unemployed mortgage processor from Berkely, Mass., pulled an all-nighter to get in line for recreation pot. “I want a picture of me standing next to a cop with a joint in my mouth because it’s history. We can tell the next generation: I remember when.” pic.twitter.com/3GCFzvZdIA

— Michael Levenson (@mlevenson) November 20, 2018

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

Boudicca Arieli drove from NJ overnight with her boyfriend to experience the first recreational shop on the East Coast. (Fun fact: Boudicca and I grew up in the same area of South Jersey!) pic.twitter.com/88WABi2aSv

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

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

Cultivate has been open for an hour, and the line has reached the road. pic.twitter.com/IjG7i0FuJ0

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

It’s a packed house for the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts. #wcvb #Cultivate pic.twitter.com/5Xcw0ArAjv

— Doug Meehan (@dougmeehan) November 20, 2018

Shuttles are running every 5-10 minutes picking up 15 people at a time from the Everlast Nursery parking lot. Things seem to be running smoothly at least on this end. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/6zBi3IGL7G

— Katie Thompson (@KThompson_WCVB) November 20, 2018

Lines are growing! Security says everything is still moving along smoothly. Lots of cars though. Parking lot is full so folks are parking on the street as well. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/BKDkFa6r5q

— Katie Thompson (@KThompson_WCVB) November 20, 2018

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

Here’s some of Cultivate’s consumer education material, which all dispensaries are required to have: pic.twitter.com/62RUMgFr6v

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Overheard from a customer who just walked in: “It smells fantastic in here.”

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Some interior artwork. pic.twitter.com/moNmu79CBv

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

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

The line is now around the block at NETA in Northampton. pic.twitter.com/xT8oDmbxq5

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

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

There’s a guy dressed like a plant among all those in the long line of people waiting to be first in line to buy marijuana at New England Treatment Access pic.twitter.com/21ffGQw4Hg

— Sharman Sacchetti (@SharmanTV) November 20, 2018

Someone dressed up like #Marijuana to stand in line to buy marijuana in #Massachusetts. The first recreational sales began at 8am. #7News pic.twitter.com/sW2xNuuBsy

— Kris Anderson (@KrisAndersonTV) November 20, 2018

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.)

.@MayorNarkewicz shows off his 50mg THC-infused chocolate bar, the first recreational marijuana product legally purchased in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/kM3tH7qn60

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

Stephen Mandile, Iraq war vet, shows off the 1st legally purchased recreational pot in MA: an eighth of “Jack Kerr” and a pre-rolled joint “for the Smithsonian or something.” Price: $79. “It’s an honor,” he said. “It’s something amazing.” pic.twitter.com/VNQLI3mF0T

— Michael Levenson (@mlevenson) November 20, 2018

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

“Can I get a receipt?” @MayorNarkewicz completes first recreational marijuana purchase in Massachusetts as NETA staff cheers wildly. pic.twitter.com/J7n2b1jf5G

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

Stephen Mandile just paid for the first legally purchased recreational marijuana in Mass. pic.twitter.com/Jb3H9sLB4L

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

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

They just started letting people inside. Still another 15 minutes before Cultivate opens for sales. pic.twitter.com/In60pSfOIK

— Nik DeCosta-Klipa (@NikDeCostaKlipa) November 20, 2018

Stephen Mandile is first in line, ready to be the first customer here at Cultivate. pic.twitter.com/sdeqsrABLd

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

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

NETA staffers have these special opening day T-shirts. pic.twitter.com/jiXyKJAt76

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

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

NOW: Long line for people waiting to purchase marijuana at Cultivate #NBC10Boston #necn pic.twitter.com/hmHz1DNKmh

— Monica Madeja NBC10 Boston (@MonicaNBCBoston) November 20, 2018

Here’s a look at the line already forming here outside Cultivate. About 20 people in line currently. Shuttle buses are bringing customers from a separate parking lot down the street. pic.twitter.com/Kz50C9Hrxv

— Felicia Gans 👩🏻‍💻 (@FeliciaGans) November 20, 2018

Sleet is turning to snow here in Northampton as dozens of folks wait for recreational marijuana sales to begin at NETA. #cannabis pic.twitter.com/zoMih57du6

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

Daquaan Hamilton, 22yo UMass Amherst student, is first in a long line at NETA in Northampton. He’s been here since 12:30am, braving the sleet. “The legalization of weed is a huge step forwards for all of us.” #marijuana #cannabis pic.twitter.com/LyYCeP3J3x

— Dan Adams (@Dan_Adams86) November 20, 2018

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: