Arizona Approves 73 Licenses As Legal Cannabis Sales Start out

PHOENIX (AP) — Lawful profits of leisure marijuana in Arizona begun Friday underneath licenses authorized by the state Wellbeing Products and services Office.

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The overall health section announced it experienced issued 73 licenses in nine of the state’s 15 counties beneath provisions of the marijuana legalization evaluate handed by voters in November. Most went to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that can begin offering recreational pot suitable absent.

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“It is really an enjoyable phase for people that want to take part in that method,” Health Providers Director Dr. Cara Christ reported Friday.

Under the conditions of Proposition 207, people 21 and older can lawfully have up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana or a scaled-down quantity of “concentrates” these types of as cannabis and can develop their possess vegetation. Possession of concerning 1 ounce and 2.5 ounces (70 grams) is a petty offense carrying a highest $300 fantastic.

Acceptance of the cannabis measure arrived four many years soon after Arizona voters narrowly defeated a leisure pot legalization proposal. Healthcare cannabis has been authorized in Arizona because 2010.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and GOP leaders of the point out Legislature strongly opposed the voter initiative, but 60% of the state’s voters permitted it.

The measure was backed by advocates for the authorized marijuana market and legal justice reform advocates who argued that Arizona’s severe marijuana regulations ended up out of step with the nation.

Arizona was the only state that however allowed a felony charge for initial-time possession of smaller quantities of cannabis, though most conditions ended up prosecuted as decreased-level misdemeanors.

The vast the greater part of the licenses ended up issued in Maricopa County. Other counties with dispensaries now permitted to sell marijuana are Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma counties.

The point out stated 6 additional applications it acquired immediately after its new licensing course of action opened are still remaining reviewed.

Voters in New Jersey, South Dakota and Montana also authorized creating possession of recreational marijuana authorized very last November, becoming a member of 11 other states in which it was currently legal.

Arizona prosecutors dropped 1000’s of cannabis possession instances after the evaluate was authorised. Possession in the condition technically turned authorized when the election effects were being certified on Nov. 30 but there was no authorized way to order marijuana.