Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Free well water testing for nitrate contamination offered in Central Point ... Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Free well water testing for nitrate contamination offered in Central Point ... Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... MARIJUANA Rogue Valley customers line up for first day of recreational pot sales Local dispensaries see steady business on first day of recreational pot sales Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 3:13 PM Updated Oct 1, 2015 at 6:25 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 3:13 PM Updated Oct 1, 2015 at 6:25 PM » Social News Thursday morning just about 10 a.m., baby boomers, generation X-ers and millennials lined up about 10 at a time at Green Valley Wellness in Talent for their first opportunity to purchase legal recreational marijuana. "Here we are, folks, this is it," Green Valley CEO Michael Monarch told the crowd. "Whoo!" The medical marijuana dispensary normally opens at 10, but potential customers arrived as early as 8 a.m. By 9 a.m., Monarch said he had second thoughts about turning eager buyers away. "Before 9, we had our staff here, so it was silly not to be open," Monarch said. Once inside, recreational buyers had their ages verified and the inside of their arm stamped before they were shown through the door to the dispensary's selection. Two lines formed, a short one for Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cardholders and a longer one for recreational buyers. "They're allowed seven grams per visit per day," Monarch said. The crowd ranged from 20-somethings in sweats and flip-flops to baby boomers in designer jean shorts. Those lined up kept to themselves as they waited for "budtenders," representatives from the dispensary, to help patrons select from the cannabis varieties available, as well as outlining accessories with which patrons may or may not be familiar. "I would save this for later. It's, like, incredible," Monarch told a patron while pointing to a jar of Buddha Tahoe OG, an indica strain with a THC potency of 21.3 percent. Monarch also showed the patron a strain that can be mixed with butter. Ed Polish of Ashland left the dispensary with a single gram of a sativa strain, purchased for $10. His business, Ephemera, sells novelties to a variety of head shops. "It was easy. It was easy," he said. He planned to drive to other dispensaries to sample other strains. "I think medical (marijuana) is important for those who need it, but recreational is incredible," Polish said. It was the abundance of choices that seemed to resonate most with early purchasers. Down the street at Talent Health Club, Lynn Roberts, 67, of Medford, was giddy with anticipation as she entered the door. As she presented her identification and waited to enter the dispensary, she giggled at the term "budtender." Roberts was there with her husband, who declined to be named for the story, for a specific strain called Northern Lights. "We've been looking for this strain since 1992," Roberts said. "It's an indica, so it'll be nice and mellow and relaxing. And it'll make me happier than I already am!" Monarch likened choosing cannabis to wine. "People don't just drink 'wine.' You might hate a riesling. It might give you a headache," Monarch said. He outlined effects, THC potency, flavor, scent, price points and whether the strain is grown indoors or outdoors among concerns to connoisseurs. A "grand opening" event at Talent Health Club ran from 2 to 6 p.m. with raffles for accessories, free samples, and food trucks Peruvian Point and Rogue Chef. Just before 3 p.m. lines for recreational marijuana purchases at Talent Health Club were out the door, and parking in the complex in the 1000 block of South Pacific Highway was near capacity. General manager Mitra Sticklen had a count of 151 recreational patrons from the dispensary's opening at 10 a.m. until just before 3 p.m. "There's a lot of new faces here today," Sticklen said. "We feel like we've prepared really well." Sticklen said the dispensary has eight varieties available for recreational purchase, and emphasized the farms the dispensary buy from: Jurassic Farms, Spectrum RX and MediSun. "People have been asking for these by name," Sticklen said. "It's important to know your grower." Sticklen claimed some dispensaries had begun running short, but Talent Health Club was well stocked. "We have a lot of light deprivation," Sticklen said, contrasting the dispensary's selection of indoor-grown strains with marijuana grown outdoors. "It allows for an earlier harvest." Out front was author J.R. Fox of Medford, who was promoting her children's book, "The Gloops and the Special Plant." The book is intended as a teaching tool to start a conversation about marijuana with children while strongly discouraging underage use. The allegory tells the story of a girl, Molly Gloop, and her parents, who stood up against the "Old Kings" who sought to ban the plants. "It's supposed to be very clear — it's for grownups," Fox said. She emphasized that children respond best to honest and straightforward answers to their questions, and likened marijuana's controversy to children of parents who drank at the very end of Prohibition. "I'm not a parent, but I'd never do it in front of my kid," a recreational marijuana buyer told Fox before heading in the dispensary. With recreational marijuana acceptance still in its infancy, many grateful proponents sought to stay under the radar as they celebrated. "Everyone's kind of coming out of the cannabis closet," said a woman who declined to give her name. Reach newsroom assistant Nick Morgan at [email protected] . By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 1, 2015 at 3:13 PM Updated Oct 1, 2015 at 6:25 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501