Long Lines For Legal Marijuana Wrap Around Chicago Dispensaries
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Long lines at dispensaries have held steady all morning.
Including the Sunnyside dispensary in Lakeview. Doors opened at 6:00 this morning, but people were already lined up around 4:00.
Several hours later, there's still a line. CBS 2's Mugo Odigwe has the latest from the dispensary.
Emma Todd started her morning early.
"Got in line about 4:00 a.m.," Todd said.
Cody Lindley was right behind her, starting his day in line at 4:30. For some people, it's a historic day they just had to be a part of.
"I don't even smoke that often," Lindley said. "But I was like 'it's a part of history, I live close' and I was up for New Year's Eve so strolled on over," Lindley said.
Scores were waiting in line for hours at the Sunnyside dispensary in Lakeview to finally leave with a bag of marijuana. The new Illinois law allows people 21 or older to buy 30 grams of marijuana in flower form, five grams if it's in a different form (like muscle cream) and 500 milligrams of edibles, like brownies.
The law also means thousands of low level marijuana convictions will be expunged in the coming months.
"I don't think legalization should just be a matter of profiting over marijuana while not focusing issue on the serious issues with the war on drugs and how it's impacted communities of color," Todd said.
With lines at Sunnyside stretching across the street, the company is limiting how many products people can buy.
"Giving people the opportunity to buy a product in each category is what we're doing right now, they just can't buy an unlimited supply of each product," said Joe Caltabiano, co-founder and president of Cresco Labs.
But for those buying weed, there are rules to keep in mind: You can't smoke in public places or while you're driving. You can smoke in your own home if you own it. Renters will have to ask their landlords for permission. Those living in public housing can't smoke there at all.
"I kind of think of it as alcohol. You can't have a drink while driving, you can't have a drink while walking down the street so to me in my brain, just alcohol rules," Lindley said.
Marijuana cannot be transported over state lines. That's against the law. Also, for those looking to get their hands on weed, you must have cash. Credit and debit cards are not accepted.
Whether you use pot or you don't, things have changed quite a bit since the days when weed was something people rolled up in a joint and smoked.
"I've got tinctures, edibles, topicals, oils, patches for joins and knee pain. It's endless. We proudly offer the largest selection in the state right," said dispensary manager Michael Mandera of THC, The Herbal Care Center.
It's located on the near West Side. Hundreds lined up even before the doors opened this morning. The dispensary offers both recreational, and medical marijuana, but not all do.
The state requires recreational and medicinal sales be recorded separately. So, there were some slowdowns at the register, but overall, sales went smoothly.
