Ground Zero Opening Day in MA. 11/20/18

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It was the first day of recreational sales on November 20, 2018 in Massachusetts, I wasn’t going to miss this. So I headed out to Northampton, MA to see it all in action. Even if I had to wait in line longer then usual, I had to be there. The place I went to was NETA. I didn’t want to attend too early; it’s a good thing that I was fashionably late. The news crew confirmed that the line was 75 deep at 6:30am and NETA didn’t open until 8am. By the time NETA opened, the line was literally around the block with a 2.5hr wait.

The line wasn’t around the block anymore when I got there, just 3/4 of the building… I waited for 90min to get inside. The staff of NETA brought out waters and warm coffee for the customers in line waiting to enter. At one point it started to rain a little and they offered ponchos. PONCHOS AND COFFEE FOR THE PEOPLE! Very nice hospitality.

5 Pack. Hey! Where’s number 5?!?!?

Once inside, the lines moved quickly. One side for medical, the other recreational. You were limited to the purchase of an eighth(3.5grams) on the recreational side unless you picked up a 5 pack of prerolls (5grams total). They did this to make sure they didn’t run out. But there was more… Much, much more. Not only was there flower, they had vape cartridges, multiple types of concentrate, edibles, and topicals. Along with multiple peripherals for the Cannabis consumer.

But how much can I buy?

Under the MA state law an individual can purchase 1oz of flower, 5g of concentrate, or a combination of both. To make it easier for the public, NETA assigned a number of points to each product. Each transaction was allowed up to 100 points. So each product you were purchasing got deducted from your 100 point allowance.  For example, an 1/8th of flower counts as 12.5 points, which would leave the customer a remaining 87.5 points to use during their purchase.

Here’s how the product points and pricing worked out:

Flower:
1/8th Loose – 12.5 points – $50
5 Pack Pre-Roll (5g) – 17.6 points – $70
Single  Pre-Roll (1g) – 3.5 points – $15

Concentrates:
All came in 1g containers and counted as 20 points
Distillate – $95
Shatter – $60
Wax – $50
Kief – $25

Edibles:
Assorted. Priced/Pointed based on potency.
25mg- .5 points  – $10
50mg- 1 point – $20
100mg – 2 points – $30

Vapes:
Available in REMPEN, RUBI, APEX ONE, and APEX.
Priced/Pointed based on potency.
1000mg – 24 points – $100
500mg – 12 points- $60
300mg – $40
200mg – $25 (Points not listed for 200-300mg carts)

All Cannabis Purchases are subject to a combined sales tax of 20%.

The salesperson helping me was knowledgeable about the products and wanted to be helpful, never once hurrying me along despite the crowd. There were, however, about 25 registers ringing away… Everything was well organized and allowed for an overall pleasant experience, despite the wait. What do you expect though? It’s opening day of sales to 21 yrs or older. Yah… This is happening.

Keep in mind that cannabis is legal in MA. That means it’s only legal in MA. Any Cannabis purchased in MA is for consumption while in the state of MA. Bringing products over state lines is a federal offense. Also, be aware that there is no public consumption in MA. So make sure you find a friendly AirBnB or toker friendly hotel if visiting. Or you can find a place like this. Which in the long run, we’re going to be seeing much more of, along with more dispensaries.

Have fun.

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