Colorado’s retail business is slowly growing, though not as fast as advocates predicted. They have a thriving “gray market” which has to be dismantled eventually, which makes it impossible to tell the extant the retail sales are biting into the black market.
One problem being exposed in Colorado is the lack of quality, consistency, and consumer awareness when it comes to edibles. Magic brownies if you will. In alcohol terms, you drink a glass of liquid and don’t know if it’s 3.2 near-beer, 12% wine, 50% vodka, or 200-proof white lightning. That’s causing some real problems, as you’d expect.
They and Washington have to address that one right away.
Washington is slowly issuing licenses to growers and sellers, several grows are underway and several shops are being prepped. The first crops will be harvested July 1. Testing labs are being certified in the state.
The Liquor Control Board is being criticized for moving slowly on license approvals, though they probably should move carefully. They face a danger: Crops will mature in a month, and if there aren’t enough retail shops, product goes to waste. If crop is available and there are too few shops, a consumer “run” on those shops will happen making for big media events. This was a popular media theme in Denver, long lines outside of shops with limited inventory. Too many shops and supply will be thin when they open.
So, in a month expect to see a lot of media on pot in Washington.