BALTIMORE — Recreational cannabis in Maryland is right around the corner - set to become legal this July 1st.
There’s a new structure regulating the new industry - passed by both chambers as time waned on the legislative session in Annapolis.
For one Baltimore shop, planning for legal, non-medical cannabis is nothing new. This summer, they'll be open around the clock to navigate the new market.
"It has been full of peaks and valleys, just like life," said Connor Whelton, CEO of ReLeaf, a medical dispensary in Mount Vernon, and the smoke shop right beside it.
For the last two years, Whelton's shop has bulked up to handle recreational, and the influx of demand sparked by it.
"It’s been really a gamble, if you will. We weren't assured anything," said Whelton. "We had to put up a lot of money to convert this place to be able to take what we think is coming next. This next wave of market capture."
It’s a young and fluid industry - Whelton says - just like the tech boom in the 90s.
They’re a medical retailer right now, but ReLeaf can sell recreational marijuana this July.
"There will be hefty fees to be paid to convert," Whelton added. "There’s special regulations we have to follow, marketing guidelines have changed, we’ll have to hire the appropriate amount of people to handle, what we estimate will be, this next wave."
Last year, Maryland voters passed a ballot referendum to legalize recreational marijuana.
READ MORE: Maryland voters approved marijuana legalization by wide margin
This year, as the legislative session closed, state lawmakers passed the framework for legal marijuana.
"I believe the archetype we’ve laid out is exactly what we’re looking for," said C.T. Wilson (D), a state delegate from Charles County. "We’ve given equity, we’ve given opportunity. We’ve made it to where, like I said, I think people will stop going to these street level drug deals to get what they need."
As that structure heads to the governor's desk, Whelton's shop will create its own new structure to prepare.
"We will still have a direct lane for patients," Whelton continued. "We don’t want to disrupt the patient experience, because they’re the foundation of how we got here. Some stores might have dedicated hours for patients, others might have a dedicated lane."
But after all the anticipation, for the shop, the middle of the summer can’t come soon enough.
"This is great," said Whelton. This is what we’ve been working so hard for. It’s actually an emotional experience."
