First Recreational Marijuana Shops Open on the East Coast

This Thanksgiving, the residents of Massachusetts are going to be able to (legally) get high before enjoying their turkey day fest. The state voted to legalize recreational marijuana way back in 2016, but Nov. 20 marks the opening of its first commercial weed shops. It's a historic moment, as Massachusetts becomes the first East Coast state to permit legal recreational sales, bringing in customers from across the region.

Massachusetts is now the seventh state in the country to open retail cannabis shops, joining the ranks of states like Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and California. "I think there's a lot going on here in trying to bring marijuana out of the shadows," David Narkewicz told CBS. Narkewicz is the mayor of Northampton, where one of the first two shops is opening, and the store’s ceremonial first customer. "I am actually going to probably preserve it and display it...because it is historically significant."

As we saw with Canada and every other state opening recreational stores, the lines are massive. “We’re prepared for thousands,” Sam Barber, the president of Cultivate, said during a press conference Monday morning per Boston.com. Cultivate is one of the two marijuana dispensaries opening.

Under Massachusetts law, customers can now buy a limited quantity of weed. It’s restricted to an ounce of flower or 20 edibles. Customers also need to show valid ID. "There has been marijuana use going on in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a long, long time. What's changing is it's now being regulated. It's now being tested. It's now being strictly monitored. That's really the major change that's happening," Narkewizc said.

Happy holidays everyone, light up!