COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs is less than one week away from approved stores being able to sell recreational marijuana in the city. As of Friday afternoon, 22 businesses have been granted a retail marijuana license.
There are several new signs being installed outside of dispensaries that read, “recreational marijuana.”
"So excited for Colorado Springs and the changes,” said Donna Gustin, a long time medical marijuana patient.
The anticipation is growing for business and customers who say this is what they have been waiting for.
"It's going to be a lot of fun,” said Gustin. "As a consumer and a long time advocate of the plant, I am super excited for our community and what it means for everybody to have the opportunity to experience cannabis. I have always wanted everybody to have the benefits of the plant and cannabis."
Marijuana is not a new thing in Colorado, it's been in the state for years. Stores like Apothecary Farms have been selling medical marijuana in Colorado Springs since 2016. But unlike some other towns in the state, Colorado Springs has never allowed recreational marijuana.
"They get right off the plane, they type in dispensaries, they don't know that there's no recreational in Colorado Springs, and so they come showing up at our doorstep, and we've had to turn those people away for years. So, we're super excited for that all to change,” said Brent McDonald, Marketing and Sales Director for Apothecary Farms.
He is excited for the change that is coming this Tuesday. Dispensaries who have received their retail marijuana license will be able to sell recreational products to people over the age of 21.
"I think this will revive the cannabis community in Colorado Springs a bit, where, you know, things were... heading in a different direction. Here, before recreational was approved,” said McDonald.
McDonald said recently, less people are buying medical marijuana.
"Really, the whole medical market in general has seen less patients year over year. We've been in decline since COVID, or before COVID, and so, this will have a serious impact on our brand, our business,” said McDonald.
He said recreational sales are the boost they need.
"We're expecting it to be much busier than we currently are,” said McDonald.
Apothecary Farms is getting prepared. On Friday, they installed a new sign and even hired more employees.
"We've hired four to six new bud tenders at each location just to kind of support the needs of recreational specifically,” said McDonald.
Recreational marijuana can begin being sold next Tuesday. Apothecary Farms will start selling the following day, Wednesday, April 16 at 8 a.m.
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