TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hours before the first licensed store to sell Marijuana was set to open in Seattle, Washington state issued its first retail marijuana licenses on Monday. The start of legal pot sales in Washington marks a major step after spending 20 months in the making. Washington and Colorado impressed the world by voting in November 2012 to legalize marijuana for adults over 21, as well as creating state-licensed systems for growing, selling and taxing the pot.
At Cannabis City, Seattle, a line of queue can be seen before the opening. "I voted for it, and I'm just so excited to see it come to be in my lifetime," said a 65-year-old retiree named Deb Greene. "I'm not a heavy user, I'm just proud of our state for giving this a try."
Associated Press reported a survey of the licensees, showing that only six planned to open Tuesday. Some others were set to open later this week or next. Washington's officials added that they eventually expect to have more than 300 recreational pot shops across the state.
AP | INDAH P.