While marijuana sales begin in Massachusetts, could New York next?

If New York chooses to follow Massachusetts’ lead on recreational marijuana, Tuesday provided a window in to what it might see.

Hundreds of people swarmed the New England Treatment Access store on Tuesday morning as Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana.

The store is one of two in the state that now sell recreational marijuana after the state legislature legalized it in 2016.

“I think Massachusetts can really lead by example,” said Amanda Rositano, New England Access Treatment’s director of compliance. “I think the Commonwealth has done a great job.”

The line to purchase marijuana products was long, and people waited on it for two and a half hours. The atmosphere was quiet and calm, like a crowd waiting to get in to a midnight movie showing. People came by with ponchos, coffee and snacks to help the crowd ward off the cold and rain as they waited.

Even though their purchases were legal, some customers declined to speak to reporters or would only give their first name, a nod to the idea that what they were doing had been illegal just a few hours ago. [Read more at Albany Times Union]