100+ Colorado Marijuana Shops Expected To Open On Jan. 1 [View all]

[Jesus Malverde]

On Jan. 1, 2014, marijuana dispensaries in Colorado selling recreational marijuana will open their doors for the first time in U.S. history -- and according to recent data from the state regulators, more than 100 shops statewide are expected to make history that day.

The Denver Post reported that the state's Marijuana Enforcement Division accepted 136 applications from from recreational marijuana stores in October. Individuals who submitted applications in the month of October are guaranteed a decision on their application by the end of the year and, if approved, can open doors on Jan. 1.

“If you got your application in, everything done in the month of October, you’re still going to have the benefit of a start date of Oct. 1 and have a decision by that Jan. 1 date," Julie Postlethwait, spokesperson for the marijuana regulatory office, told The Huffington Post.

The state regulators also accepted nearly 30 applications for marijuana-infused product businesses and almost 180 applications for recreational pot cultivation facilities, according to The Denver Post.

State law demands that only businesses who are already licensed for medical marijuana sales and are in "good standing" with the state can apply for a recreational license. Postlethwait said that there is a pool of roughly 550 medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado that can apply for recreational sales licenses.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/at-least-100-recreational_n_4219447.html