Three years after marijuana extracts became legally available in New York for medicinal purposes, legal recreational use of marijuana appears to be on the fast track.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced it as one of his priorities for the legislative session this winter, and with both houses of the Legislature now controlled by fellow Democrats, New York has a chance to become the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana use by adults.
Terrapin Care Station (TCS) became the first cannabis dispensary to open its doors in Longmont proper on November 19, 2018, and with over a month to settle in, they now enter the new year spreading deeper roots in the Longmont community.
Back in July of 2018, Terrapin was awarded one of four licenses to open a retail cannabis storefront in Longmont after city officials allowed for a new adult-use cannabis marketplace within municipal limits. The store operates out of a 3,500-square-foot space—a renovated former flower shop at 650 20th Avenue near 20th Avenue and Main Street.
Through August 2018 – the most recent data available from the Colorado Department of Revenue – recreational marijuana sales topped $800 million and the state is on pace to surpass $1.2 billion by the end of the year.
That would represent a 12% increase over total sales in 2017.
The sales data alone do not reveal what’s driving the increases, though there are signs that suggest expanded access to rec stores and shifting consumer preferences may be at play.