BALTIMORE — It's the big moment for the budding cannabis industry in Maryland, months in the making.
This Saturday, adult-use cannabis will be legal in the state, and those who can sell it, are in for a big weekend.
"There's this incredible buzz in the air, the anticipation," said Connor Whelton, CEO of the ReLeaf dispensary in Mount Vernon.
The dispensary sells medical cannabis in Mount Vernon - they expect a wave of new interest as adult-use becomes legal in Maryland.
"Maybe it's sleep, anxiety, they're just looking to have a good time, levity, you name it. We're going to try and match the right product to them," said Whelton.
There are, of course, rules that come with the legalization. Customers will have to use cash or bring a debit card to pay - cannabis is still federally illegal, and credit cards are a no-go. The dispensary itself can only be operational for 12 hours at a time; ReLeaf is open 10am-10pm.
And if you don't have a medical license, you can only get cannabis with ten milligrams of T-H-C.
Whelton says there will be separate lines for medical, adult-use and online orders.
All of the product on-site was grown in Maryland.
"We're not allowed to have more than 10 pounds of bulk to break down to make usable cannabis flower - and that is coming in one pound bags, five pounds per transfer. Currently we have a lot more than that on hand, that's getting grandfathered in," said Whelton.
The dispensary hired new help with the big day coming, and planned out how they can do things, regulations in mind.
Whelton expects some of the current rules not to stay the way they are.
"These are draft regulations," said Whelton. "There's a good chance that some, not all things, will be changed amended or completely taken out come this next legislative session, when final regulations go into place.
"We're ready, as we possibly can be, for what's coming, and whatever it is, we're going to roll with it," said Whelton.
