Pot shops debut today in Massachusetts

Two commercial sites to begin sales

The long wait for recreational marijuana sales to begin in Massachusetts is almost over with the first commercial pot shops set to open today.

It can hardly be termed a robust launch with only two stores opening initially, in Leicester and Northampton. But they can boast of being the first anywhere in the eastern United States as the commercial cannabis industry looks to expand its geographic base amid increasing public acceptance.

Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, but it’s taken more than two full years to reach this point.

Some things to know:

The first sales

The first pot shops will open at 8 a.m. in Northampton, a small city in western Massachusetts, and in the central Massachusetts town of Leicester. Both stores already operate as medical marijuana dispensaries but are the first to be cleared by state regulators to sell recreational pot to adults 21 and older.

The symbolic first buyers have already been chosen.

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz will usher in a new era of legal marijuana in his city by making the first purchase at New England Treatment Access.

Narkewicz says he will probably buy a marijuana chocolate bar but doesn’t plan to eat it.

Stephen Mandile, a disabled Iraq War veteran and medical marijuana advocate, has been chosen as the first to buy at Cultivate in Leicester, The Boston Globe reported.

What should shoppers bring?

Consumers will need to show government-issued identification to enter the stores, regardless of how old they are or look.

Driver’s licenses and passports will be among documents accepted.

Bringing cash is also a good idea at least during the initial period of legal sales. The federal prohibition on marijuana means that most banks and credit card processors won’t service marijuana businesses.

A spokesman for the Northampton store says it will accept some debit and credit cards with four-digit pins. A spokeswoman for the Leicester store says it will accept cash only during the first hours of sales, though debit may be available later today.

Are long lines expected?

Based on what happened when other legal states — and Canada — launched retail sales, yes.

It’s safe to assume that crowds will gather when the first stores open. Many people are no doubt eager to be among the first on the East Coast to buy recreational pot legally.

“It’s going to look like one thing on the first day and another thing on the 100th day,” said Norton Albaraez, a spokesman for the Northampton store.

In other words, anyone not wanting to deal with the initial crowds might consider waiting a few weeks or months for things to settle down.

To help speed up purchases and move the lines along, the stores suggest that people familiarize themselves with available products on the company’s website before arriving at the store.