Out Of Pot: With No Supply, Tacoma’s First Marijuana Retailer Closes Temporarily

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WASHINGTON:  The sign posted in front of Tacoma marijuana retailer Rainier on Pine told much of the story.

“Sorry We Are Closed! Sold Out!! We will open again soon when more product becomes available.”

The rest of the story resembles the tale told by Seattle’s first pot retailer, Cannabis City, which opened in early July and closed a few days later.

Rainier on Pine sold the last of its first pot stock on Monday after selling at least 90 percent on Friday, the first day the store was open to the public.

 

Marijuana Shortage Seen Ahead Of Washington State retail pot rollout

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WASHINGTON:  His glass pipes are on display and final regulatory hurdles nearly cleared, but the biggest concern for Cannabis City owner James Lathrop as he opens his Seattle pot shop this week is the possibility of running out of mind-altering bud in a matter of hours.

“What do you do when your shelves are empty? Do I just send everybody home? Do we try and stay open? I can’t pay people if we aren’t selling anything,” said Lathrop, who expects to become one of Washington state’s first legal marijuana retailers this week as the state issues licenses.

The state is poised on Monday to become the second after Colorado to allow retail sales of recreational marijuana to adults, under a heavily regulated and taxed system that voters approved in November 2012. Stores could begin operations as early as Tuesday, with up to 20 expected to open statewide.

While Colorado, where regulated retail sales rolled out fairly smoothly in January, is collecting millions of dollars per month in tax revenues, Washington has charted a glacial and more halting path to market.

Colorado Pot Businesses: We’re Going to Run Out of Weed

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COLORADO: On New Year’s Day, some Colorado marijuana dispensaries are set to become the first in the nation to legally sell weed for recreational use.

But it hasn’t been a ride on Easy Street. In addition to trying to clear the hoop maze of local and state licensing issues in time for Jan. 1, local potpreneurs in the Centennial State say a cannabis shortage could strike within a week’s time after opening for business.

Medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado in 2010, and The Denver Post reported earlier this year that there are just under 700 medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, which require customers to have a red card, given to them by a physician, in order to purchase weed. According to the Associated Press, only 160 of those stores have applied to sell recreational pot, which they can only sell to adults over 21 during mandated hours of business. (Which means there will be no late-night stops at the pot shop.)

Those working to comply with regulations and open for recreational sales in 2014 say demand is going to quickly outstrip supply.

“We are definitely going to run out of cannabis. The question is when,” says Denver’s Discreet Dispensary owner Toni Fox, who expects to be cleared to open on Jan. 1 and estimates her shelves will be cleaned out by Jan. 6.

 

Will Colorado Have Enough Pot Stores To Meet Demand?

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COLORADO:  Call it Black Wednesday. Recreational marijuana goes on sale legally in Colorado on Jan. 1, and Denver officials are worried that the city’s retail shops won’t be anywhere close to meeting demand.

At a city-council meeting Monday, lawmakers in Colorado’s largest city raised questions about licensing delays and the prospect of people queuing up for hours in what have been historically low temperatures.

“If we have 10 stores open … we could have people camping out overnight with cash in their pocket,” said councilman Charlie Brown. “How is the industry, how is the police department going to work together?” [Read more…]

Will Colorado Have Enough Pot Stores To Meet Demand?

by Leave a Comment

COLORADO:  Call it Black Wednesday. Recreational marijuana goes on sale legally in Colorado on Jan. 1, and Denver officials are worried that the city’s retail shops won’t be anywhere close to meeting demand.

At a city-council meeting Monday, lawmakers in Colorado’s largest city raised questions about licensing delays and the prospect of people queuing up for hours in what have been historically low temperatures.

“If we have 10 stores open … we could have people camping out overnight with cash in their pocket,” said councilman Charlie Brown. “How is the industry, how is the police department going to work together?” [Read more…]