“I wanted to make sure I’d be the first one in (and) the first one out,” he said.
Blystone said it was time for local dispensaries and communities to start profiting off the sales and taxes from recreational marijuana.
Brandon Nawman was third in line at Forest and said he got there an hour before doors opened because he wanted to be part of something special.
Becky Vliege and Carey Farmer at The Landing Dispensary in Monroe also said they wanted to be part of the historic day.
“We’ve waited our whole lives for this. I want to be part of history of Ohio,” Farmer said.
At AYR Dispensary near Riverside, customers were lined outside the door before 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Erin Mayfield drove from West Carrollton to try the dispensary. She said she was happy that she was able to buy something that made her feel safe and happy.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” she said.
AYR store manager Tevin Johnson said his store was well stocked Tuesday.
“We do not anticipate running out of product at any point, and have planned replenishments throughout the week to ensure no interruption,” he said.
At Columbia Care in Monroe, Joseph Ashby said he is excited to have access to safe products.
“I don’t have to go to some sketchy place to go get some stuff,” he said. “If I want to buy some smoke I can go to an actual establishment, and it’s coded.”
The Cannabist Company President Jesse CHannon also stressed the importance of Ohioans being able to buy safe and untainted marijuana.
“What this really represents is an ability to get safe and secure product into the hands of people that want it and need it (and) that are ultimately going to try to get their hands on it anyway,” he said. “This is about having access for people to get good product.”
Customers wanting to buy products from Pure Ohio Wellness in Dayton went through the dispensary’s security team and talked to representatives of their grow team before entering the building to buy products.
Pure Ohio Wellness Chief Operating Officer Tracey McMillin said the energy was high among customers, even during a hot summer day.
“We’ve been waiting for this, and we’re ready to go,” she said.
The Forest Vice President of Revenue Michael Wells said the dispensary has been working hard to prepare for the day, including tripling its staff.
“We’ve been trying to get everybody ready to go for a full staff,” he said. “... We improved how many products we were carrying in our vault to make sure that any increase in traffic was able to be served to the local community. We added security to make sure that everybody felt safe in their purchases.”
Most customers were waiting about 15 minutes before being seen by a sales representative.
Customers must show a valid state ID upon entering the dispensary. Then a bud tender or sales representative will see customers on a one-to-one basis.
“All questions are being encouraged and asked whether it’s regarding safety testing protocols, the specifics of the product, some of the effects and any recommendations,” Wells said. “Our team is happy to handle and answer any of those problems.”
Wells’ only request is that customers be patient as dispensaries adjust to recreational sales this week and see an increase in customers.
“Your typical wait time will probably increase by a little bit, but just be patient with the teams you’re working with,” he said.
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