81-YEAR-OLD IS FIRST IN LINE AT POT STORE

anchorage, alaska» An 81year-old native of Italy became the first person to buy marijuana legally in Alaska’s largest city.

Anna Ercoli was first in line Thursday morning, hours before Arctic Herbery opened its doors in Anchorage to great fanfare.

The 45-year resident of Anchorage says she used marijuana for medicinal purposes. Ercoli says she rubs the marijuana extract on her skin, and it affords her a better night of sleep than anti-pain or sleeping pills.

Also in line was 31-year-old Donavan Brown, who called the opening of Anchorage’s first retail pot store “pretty exciting.” He has friends headed to Anchorage for the holidays, and he says they are “going to have a great taco night.”

Fewer than 10 stores have opened across the state. The first was Herbal Outfitters in Valdez. AP

Mark Thiessen, The Associated Press Owner Bryant Thorp steps out of his business at the opening of Arctic Herbery, the first legal marijuana retail store to open in Anchorage, Alaska.