Although the first retail marijuana stores could open next July, there might not be any pot to buy.
Industry experts have warned that there is likely to be a shortage of marijuana almost immediately in the state. This is because there are not enough growers in Massachusetts to be able to keep up with the demand.
Peter Bernard, who is the president of the Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Council has said, “The first places to open up will sell out in less than a week.”
According to Bernard, it will not be until late spring of 2019 or maybe early summer for new retail outlets to have marijuana products for sale.
According to Brandon Pollock, the CEO of Theory Wellness, a medical marijuana company that plans to apply for a recreational license, “Existing medical marijuana dispensaries will have a leg up because they already have cultivation facilities in place. Someone who has to build a new facility is likely to take between 18 months and three years to begin selling marijuana due to the time it takes for permitting, architectural planning, construction and growing.”
“It’s highly likely in the first six to 18 or 24 months in the market there will not be enough cultivation space to support the demand,” Pollock explained.
His own company is planning to double its cultivation capabilities as a result to prepare for the higher demand.
