“I wanted to make sure I’d be the first one in (and) the first one out,” he said.
After the recreational marijuana initiated statute went into effect last year, many Ohioans 21 and over have been legally growing and possessing cannabis at home.
Though adults could legally possess marijuana, they had nowhere to legally buy it until this week.
“It means we’re able to get medical-grade marijuana, with no legal repercussions. I’ve always thought that it’s a plant of life,” said Joshua Stevenson, a shopper at Zen Leaf in Dayton who was among the first Ohioans to buy legal cannabis recreationally.
Zen Leaf and The Forest are among 16 dispensaries in the region that received the green light from the state to begin recreational sales on Tuesday.
Becky Vliege and Carey Farmer at The Landing Dispensary in Monroe 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.
Erin Mayfield drove from West Carrollton to try AYR Dispensary near Riverside, and she ended up being the first recreational customer of the business.
She donned a shirt that said “Pothead: Life Is Good” to celebrate the occasion. Mayfield said she was pleased to buy something that made her feel safe and happy — without legal penalty or secrecy.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” she said. “We don’t have to be embarrassed anymore over something that’s medicinal and can be used to make you feel better.”
AYR store manager Tevin Johnson said he’s worked in the cannabis business in a few states and has watched others incorporate recreational programs with their medical programs. He anticipates many people stopping by area dispensaries in the coming weeks, but his team and others have been working for weeks to meet the expected demand.
“We do not anticipate running out of product at any point and have planned replenishments throughout the week to ensure no interruption,” he said.
Later in the morning, customers wanting to buy products from Pure Ohio Wellness in Dayton went through the dispensary’s security team to show their valid, state-issued ID cards and talked to representatives of their grow team before entering the building to buy products. Customers were in an out of the shop in less than 15 minutes.
Pure Ohio Wellness Chief Operating Officer Tracey McMillin said the energy was high among customers, even during a hot summer day.
“Everyone is super excited. We’ve been waiting a long time for this, and we’re ready to go,” she said.
McMillin said the start to recreational sale in Ohio may spark interest among people who have never tried cannabis products or took a break from using cannabis.
She advised people who are entering into the recreational market for the first time to do research before shopping and ask a lot of questions of dispensary employees.
“Come in and see us,” she said. “It may feel intimidating if you’ve never been to a dispensary, but it’s not. We’re excited to have you in.”
The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control said they intend to award certificates to all remaining eligible dispensaries later this week.
Among them will be Guaranteed Dispensary, located in Dayton. Dispensary general manager Sara Hawkins said the location can start selling recreational products on Wednesday.
On Monday, the state cannabis control division said the opening of adult-use sales comes more than a month in advance of the Sept. 7 deadline as outlined in the initiated statute passed by Ohio voters last November.
Once a dispensary has received its certificate of operation, it is legally authorized to begin the sale of non-medical cannabis in addition to medical cannabis, although dispensaries may need to take a few steps for themselves before opening their doors to recreational sales.
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