73 dispensaries can now sell recreational marijuana. Here they are.

The legal grass is here.

The Arizona Department of Health has approved 73 dispensaries to begin selling recreational marijuana products to adults 21 and older.

See the bottom of this post for a complete list of dispensaries, with names and contact information, by DHS.

A spokesman for The Mint dispensary, which has a location in Tempe and Mesa, said sales will begin today (Friday) at 4:20 p.m.

Territory, which has dispensaries in Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa, says it will start selling at its locations at 4:20 p.m.

Curaleaf, which has eight dispensaries across the state, began selling at its stores at noon.

Harvest Health and Recreation operates 15 dispensaries in the state. CEO Steve White says New Times “12 or 13” of these have been approved so far and are already open and selling recreational marijuana, including the Scottsdale location at 15190 N. Hayden.

“I think we consumed our first sale 17 seconds after we received state approval today,” White said. “I expect to see lines on the door today and probably by the weekend, but I think traffic should normalize after that.”

The approval comes after 60 percent of Arizona voters backed the state’s latest attempt to legalize recreational marijuana – Proposition 207 – in November.

Under the new law, adults at least 21 years old can hold up to an ounce of marijuana, with up to five grams of concentrates, and can grow up to six cannabis plants at home. The law also allows medical marijuana dispensaries to begin selling to recreational users after receiving state approval. That started now.

Specifically, the measure required the Arizona Department of Health Services to begin accepting January 19 applications from the first applicants: either existing dispensaries or applicants hoping to open one in a county that already has less than two dispensaries.

Some saw this as a way for the existing industry, which funded the initiative campaign, to take over the limited number of licenses and maintain a monopoly on the market. But it is also a way to avoid the logistical hooks that have slowed the launch in states that have tried to build a whole new system of recreational cannabis from scratch.

The law gives state regulators 60 days from the end of the early March 9 application period to start issuing licenses, but dispensaries expected the state to grant licenses much earlier – and it seems to have.

Sam Richard, executive director of the Arizona Dispensary Association, said the vendors have earned the trust of state officials, paving the way for quick approval.

“There are known quantities,” he said. “These are entities known to regulators.”

While some in the industry expected an immediate buffer to appear and start selling on Jan. 20, Richard said it took a little longer for applications to be filed than expected and that background checks required fingerprints. to be submitted in person.

” [Arizona Department of Health Services] in itself it is impatient not to be the body that stands in the way of adult cannabis use, “he said.

An agency spokesman said New Times last week, licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, which means that the number of dispensaries offering recreational products is likely to continue to grow over the next few days. At some point, the state will also issue licenses for 26 new dispensaries through a social equity program, but details remain to be worked out.

A spokesman said ADHS said the agency had already received 61 applications as of Wednesday afternoon.

Some local producers expect a 3-fold increase in sales. Article 9 The Chief Revenue Officer of Labs, Bryce Skalla, said that the company had to find extra space to store the extra packaging they had in stock.

“We have huge cargo containers … just full of packaging,” he said. “Where do you put a million jars?”

Skalla also warned that for anyone trying marijuana for the first time in decades, today’s products are much stronger. He recommends getting a quarter of what you think you should get.

Recreational sales are also subject to a 16% state tax and you may still have problems if you smoke in public or drive while stoned, so be smart!

The mood outside the Curaleaf location in south central Phoenix was festive immediately after 14:30. Two fast-moving lines of recreational and medical clients were separated by a velvet rope, while a DJ played.

Friends AJ Johnson and Bobby Jones figured out how to place their orders in line before entering. Johnson said Phoenix New Times that he was trying to buy the best flower they had.

“We want that shit that will get you up for two days,” he said.

Behind them, welder Erick Fonseca said he came immediately after work after receiving a news alert on his phone. He hopes to buy some edible products to enjoy the weather this weekend.

“I’m glad I don’t have to take him off the street,” he said. “It’s time to do something smart.”

Not everyone was happy with the legalization.

“Now I have to wait in a long line,” said West Scott. He intends to keep his card to avoid the 16% state excise tax on leisure sales.

In addition to the festive atmosphere, Mesa chef Jacquelynn Hanley was hired to provide catering. She served lemon chicken, green beans with herbs, pasta salad and a mixed lettuce. Hanley said she usually handles luxury events, so that was a nice change.

“Everyone here was very relaxed and cool,” she said. “They are not pretentious at all.”

At the Midtown location in Curaleaf, Phoenix, about 30 people were in line just before 5 p.m. Many had come as soon as they heard the news that leisure sales had begun.

“I found out right now when I went to pick up my packages at UPS,” Kisha Vega said as she waited in line.

Nick Harper lives nearby and came as soon as he saw a news post on Instagram that sales were happening. He received several cartridges that he uses to self-medicate his foot.

“It’s much easier to get it for me,” he said.

Keith Morris, a Curaleaf employee, helped people pre-order before entering. He said the crowd was quite diverse.

“I think people know what they want,” he said.

Chella Marie drove to the Pima-Maricopa Salt River Indian community store with her brother and two adult children because there are no dispensaries in the reservation. Marie focused for tonight. After Fry Bread Friday comes to dinner, she plans to consume some cannabis and then set up a playground for her grandchildren.

“Grandma will be there laughing and singing with them,” she said.

While an elderly medical patient chose not to wait in line, others were happy to see that other people had access. Professor Emily Bacon saw legalization as a snapshot of Arizona becoming younger and more diverse.

“It’s fun to be a part of it,” she said.

(This story was updated a few hours after publication.)

Here is the list: