NEWINGTON, Conn. — Lines formed before dispensaries opened their doors Tuesday. Adults 21 and older across Connecticut walked into retail shops and bought marijuana products for the first time after brandishing a valid ID.
Tuesday marks a historic moment Bristol’s Alan Labreck has been looking forward to for more than 18 months since Connecticut lawmakers decriminalized possession and cleared the way for the recreational industry.
“I’ve been going up to Massachusetts—it’s a great way to stay in your community and support local businesses,” he said after purchasing a vape at Fine Fettle in Newington, one of seven existing medical marijuana dispensaries now hybrid recreational shops.
Beginning Tuesday, a valid ID will allow anyone 21 and older to buy up to a fourth of an ounce of flower or its equivalent in vapes and edibles. Many people told FOX61 they use marijuana to combat stress.
“I have really bad anxiety, so I usually just take a couple of puffs off my pen and it just helps me level out, keeps me focused on my goals at hand,” Labreck said.
General Manager Dennis So said he learned lessons about the opening day from Massachusetts in 2018 and focused on crowd control.
“We are asking folks to show up with a reservation, so folks are lining up outside of the building. It’s cold. It’s the winter,” he said.
Parking attendants also helped to keep crowds away. By Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Consumer Protection announced the state brought in more than $250,000 on day one.
“It’s been difficult for those who may benefit from cannabis but may not qualify under one of the 38 qualifying conditions with the state, so to be able to open it up based on an age restriction allows us to have many more people who may be able to benefit from it be able to use it,” said So.
Customers waited outside Zen Leaf dispensary in Meriden to be among the first through the doors at 10 a.m.
“Never thought I would see this day coming,” said Tom Card of Watertown.
“It’s a huge day for all the marijuana smokers out there that are just happy to be recognized that their beliefs are heard,” added Eric Solkoske.
More than 100 businesses are in the Department of Consumer Protection’s licensing pipeline. The majority are social equity ventures in communities that have been hard hit by the war on drugs.
Labreck said this legal change, now changing the stigma around pot.
“As of July last year, I saw a lot of my friend's parents, my parents getting a different mindset towards it.
Melissa Pettit was in the door in Newington and out in 10 minutes.
“It’s been a long time, been waiting for this. It makes me happy we can just go into a store now and get this without having a medical card. It’s really progress,” she said.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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