“While there are still regulatory questions to be worked out, the work done to bring this day to fruition is remarkable.”Įd Stannard can be reached at. “The economic opportunity being unlocked today is historic on a statewide level,” said Dan Glissman, co-founder of the cannabis chamber. Revenue from fees and taxes from cannabis sales are to be invested in those communities and future dispensaries will be operated by social equity partners who come from those areas. There is no enforced limit on the number of transactions a person can make, however.Įach store has been retrofitted with separate cash registers to accommodate recreational sales while not interfering with medical marijuana customers. While medical customers can buy up to 5 ounces of cannabis, or its equivalent, per month, adult-use customers will be limited to a quarter ounce per transaction. “Today is historic, but the real story is about the benefits to come that will transform lives and communities,” he said. “This industry is going to create more than 10,000 jobs over the next couple of years, and hundreds of millions in new revenue that will be reinvested in the communities most hard hit by the war on drugs,” said Adam Wood, president of the Connecticut Cannabis Chamber of Commerce in a Monday release. Two other stores that were given the go-ahead to open Tuesday will open at later dates. Ray Pantalena of Affinity Health & Wellness in New Haven said police will be on hand to direct traffic on busy Whalley Avenue. “We’ve been talking with the local Meriden police about traffic management and security and we’ll be working cooperatively with them throughout the day just to make sure that everything’s safe and as smooth as possible,” he said. “We’re hoping that we can accommodate as many people as possible,” Mazeika said. Steve Mazeika, spokesman for Verano, which owns Zen Leaf Meriden, said, “parking at our dispensary is, of course, not unlimited,” but there is spillover parking next door at the former Gary’s Glass store, a former head shop. Louis Gonzalez, general manager of All Pets Club, said RISE’s customers are limited to one area, though: “Not the middle parking or to the right. customers can park at All Pets Club across Business Park Drive from the dispensary. Mattio said in addition to RISE’s parking lot at 471 E. “We’re anticipating a pretty celebratory morning,” she said. The celebratory atmosphere will be enhanced by ribbon cuttings, swag bags and, at RISE in Branford (formerly Bluepoint Wellness), a steel drum band, according to Rosie Mattio, spokeswoman for RISE owner Green Thumb Industries, which owns 77 dispensaries across the country. She said there will be a heated tent outside where people can talk to staff and drink coffee, espresso and cappuccino. “We had both the state police and the Montville police on site today and kind of running through our plan. “We’ve also been coordinating with the local authorities,” Nelson said. The shuttles will run from the center of Montville and from the Walgreens at 601 Route 32, she said. “So we actually have a shuttle service that’s running from a few locations.” “We’ve been working with the city over the last few weeks to really make sure that this is as painless an experience as possible for our guests and for the city as well,” she said. Kate Nelson, senior vice president of Acreage, which owns the Botanist in Montville, said she believes Tuesday’s opening will go smoothly. So, we’re trying to plan out for all the punches.” Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. “We’re preparing for a lot of demand but we don’t actually know what the demand is going to be,” Zachs said. Fine Fettle is preparing for a lot of demand, with between eight and 11 check-out registers at each of the three locations, which he considers “overstaffed” but necessary for the first day of sales.
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