Maryland blazes into recreational cannabis sales with parties, promotions and eager consumers

Dorian Williams has been curious about marijuana dispensaries dotting the Baltimore region for years. On Saturday morning, the 30-year-old shipping manager stepped inside one for the first time.

“I’m excited to see what it looks like inside,” said the Towson resident as he waited to walk into Far & Dotter in Timonium. “It seems so inviting.”

Maryland blazed into a new era Saturday, the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales. People thronged dispensaries across the state, eager to see, learn about and try the products that people over 21 with a state-issued ID are now able to purchase. Several cannabis-themed events are planned for the weekend, including Puff Fest at Power Plant Live! in Baltimore and a three-day music festival in Western Maryland.

At Far & Dotter, the flagship retail location of the Curio Wellness brand of marijuana, members of the Bronfein family, who own and operate the business, were joined for a ribbon-cutting by State Sen. Chris West, who represents the area, and Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a new industry with new opportunities for small business and new jobs,” said Howard. “Our legislature has been really thoughtful in planning to go about this.”

Wendy Bronfein, Curio’s chief brand officer and director of public policy, said the company had been preparing for recreational marijuana sales since voters approved the referendum by a 2-to-1 margin last November.

“We started the year with 250 employees and we now have 320,” said Bronfein. “We have 30 openings right now and we anticipate hiring up to 60 people by the end of the year.”

Bronfein said Curio began ramping up production in January in the massive Timonium warehouse where the cannabis plants are cultivated. They have also increased production at the Cockeysville plant where workers make tinctures, pre-rolled joints, and weed-infused gummies, chocolates and topical lotions.

At Far & Dotter, as at other dispensaries, one register is devoted to existing medical marijuana patients. Those who have a state-issued medical marijuana card are able to purchase larger quantities and higher concentrations of products. State law effective Saturday requires dispensaries give priority service to medical patients either by providing a separate line or reserving dedicated shopping hours.

General consumers are now able to purchase up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis or cannabis products that include up to 750 mg of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

At Liberty dispensary in Hampden, Ray D. waited in line to pick up cannabis for his daughter, who uses it to manage pain. The 59-year-old declined to provide his last name because he works for the federal government. Federal employees are barred from using cannabis.

Ray said he was looking for an edible that contained both CBD, a non-psychoactive hemp compound often used to relieve pain, and THC. He said his daughter wanted to manage her painful chronic condition while avoiding opioids.

At Gold Leaf dispensary in Annapolis, marketing manager Bri Anderson said she was expecting a “massive” influx of customers this weekend and that there was a nervous excitement in the air for her and the 160 employees working at the store.

Many people waiting in line there Saturday were hesitant to share their name with a reporter because they didn’t want their employer to know they were buying pot.

One Gold Leaf customer, Heidi Sahmel, said the stigma around marijuana use should end. ”I think that some of us are going to have to be those first folks to put ourselves out there and say that we’re for this, we support everyone here and we’re really excited,” she said. “This is such a positive change.”

The 37-year-old, who works in finance and has two master’s degrees, said it’s time to stop “looping cannabis in with other Schedule 1 narcotics.”

At Zen Leaf in Elkridge, the sight of eager customers made vice president of national retail Josh Kudish emotional. He grew up in the area and remembers when the building that now houses the dispensary was a bank.

“You can’t compare anything to this moment,” said Kudish. “I would never imagine that the place that I was going to get my groceries, my bagel, would have the opportunity for me to shop safely and have access to the plant in the way that we do now. It couldn’t be more gratifying.”

Ken Blackford, 60, was the first customer at Zen Leaf. He drove down from Baltimore City to purchase his flower and vape products. The long-time cannabis user said Saturday felt like Christmas. He hadn’t been in a dispensary since his medical card expired last year.

“I’m just happy to be here today,” said Blackford.

At Liberty in Hampden, 23-year-old Ray Smith smiled as he waited in line.

The self-described “pretty solid pothead” said he was happy to be able to buy marijuana from a store during business hours and know that the products were of high quality and had been approved by state inspectors.

“I just think we feel a bit more free to do the things that we enjoy doing,” he said.

Smith said he uses cannabis for “recreational use and amusement, also for like … self medicating, for like things like anxiety and stress that I’m dealing with on a daily. But I just kind of incorporate it into my routine to where I’m still productive and functional.”

”But again,” he added, “I still love me some marijuana.”

julie.scharper@thebaltimorebanner.com

brenda.wintrode@thebaltimorebanner.com

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