Maine is Legal!

[mitchgo61]

Veto overridden. It just became law. I have mixed feelings. On one hand, lousy law. OTOH it’s nice to see that buffoon LePage put in his place....and we need to get this thing moving if we’re ever gonna get retail up and running.

https://thejointblog.com/maine-house-votes-to-override-governor-veto-of-marijuana-legalization-bill/

 

[macbill]

It's time to hurry up and wait. At least, that's how it was in Washington State. Only took 20 months for rec doors to open.

 

[mitchgo61]

It's time to hurry up and wait. At least, that's how it was in Washington State. Only took 20 months for rec doors to open.

Yeah we’re at 18 months now. Probably be closer to 30 before brick and mortar stores open. Again, thank god for delivery services.

 

[Polarbearboy]

My local paper, just across the border in NH, has a big story about all the cannabis exhibitors at this year's Fryeburg Home Garden Flower Show. They've never been allowed in before. More than twenty exhibitors will be featuring cannabis products and services, though nothing with THC may be sold on site or elsewhere at the show. God Bless Legalization!

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

Gas and Grass

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/12...es-first-medical-marijuana-convenience-store/

 

[vaporculture]

Retail cannabis stores opened for the first time today in Maine, nearly 4 years after the state voted to enact legal marijuana.

 

[snamuh]

Retail cannabis stores opened for the first time today in Maine, nearly 4 years after the state voted to enact legal marijuana.

How about those $65 eighths! Nice to see some grass roots people standing their ground on supporting local business over the large companies though.

 

[Polarbearboy]

Its now six weeks since Maine started adult recreational cannabis. But very few stores will sell to anyone without a medical card. I live in northern NH near the border, and sorta like a former VP candidate, I can see Maine even as I type this. There are three listed stores in Bethel, several more in Lewiston/Auburn and none of them are doing adult rec yet. I've called them all and stores in Farmington and Winthrop. This really sucks big time.

 

[Kins]

Its now six weeks since Maine started adult recreational cannabis. But very few stores will sell to anyone without a medical card. I live in northern NH near the border, and sorta like a former VP candidate, I can see Maine even as I type this. There are three listed stores in Bethel, several more in Lewiston/Auburn and none of them are doing adult rec yet. I've called them all and stores in Farmington and Winthrop. This really sucks big time.

The prices are insane with recreational though. I'm pretty sure Green Cures LLC does recreational. They are in Auburn. I'd recommend Seaweed Co inc, they have retail stores in South Portland and Portland. I'm not a fan of Green Cures, so I'm not recommending them.

 

[snamuh]

Its now six weeks since Maine started adult recreational cannabis. But very few stores will sell to anyone without a medical card. I live in northern NH near the border, and sorta like a former VP candidate, I can see Maine even as I type this. There are three listed stores in Bethel, several more in Lewiston/Auburn and none of them are doing adult rec yet. I've called them all and stores in Farmington and Winthrop. This really sucks big time.

r/Mainetrees has a list... IDK fast it gets updated though.

Price isn't worth it yet. Sucks with MA being shut down for Covid. Even MA is too costly. Mission Georgetown seems to be cheapest.

Would love to know of a good delivery service where you only have to pay for the delivery fee.

Spoiler: Maine Rec and MMJ storefront list

https://www.reddit.com/r/mainetrees/comments/jz6dc3

 

[mitchgo61]

r/Mainetrees has a list... IDK fast it gets updated though.

Price isn't worth it yet. Sucks with MA being shut down for Covid. Even MA is too costly. Mission Georgetown seems to be cheapest.

Would love to know of a good delivery service where you only have to pay for the delivery fee.

Spoiler: Maine Rec and MMJ storefront list

https://www.reddit.com/r/mainetrees/comments/jz6dc3

Have you tried Elevation 207?

Yeah the rec prices are absurd. The med market here is awesome and cheap and sells to any cardholder from any state....so if you can get a card where you are, come on up and load up while you’re here.

 

[Kins]

Have you tried Elevation 207?

Yeah the rec prices are absurd. The med market here is awesome and cheap and sells to any cardholder from any state....so if you can get a card where you are, come on up and load up while you’re here.

Not every state. Same info.

 

[snamuh]

Have you tried Elevation 207?

Yeah the rec prices are absurd. The med market here is awesome and cheap and sells to any cardholder from any state....so if you can get a card where you are, come on up and load up while you’re here.

I almost did! I'm set for now though. Thanks though!

 

[macbill]

Maine’s mom and pop weed scene sweats corporate ‘gentrification’​

[T]he state is in the process of introducing more stringent regulations that would treat all medical marijuana businesses — from small mom and pops to billion-dollar behemoths — nearly the same. Many of these small businesses, known as “caregivers,” fear the proposed rules will quickly push them out of the market in favor of corporate cannabis.

 

[kel]

Crikey.. corporate cannabis... an oxymoron if ever there was one!

I sincerely hope the future is brighter for everyone in Maine and elsewhere in this regard!

 

[mitchgo61]

Maine’s mom and pop weed scene sweats corporate ‘gentrification’​

[T]he state is in the process of introducing more stringent regulations that would treat all medical marijuana businesses — from small mom and pops to billion-dollar behemoths — nearly the same. Many of these small businesses, known as “caregivers,” fear the proposed rules will quickly push them out of the market in favor of corporate cannabis.

Nice article. It’s a little buried, but the possible good news here is the bill that was passed that essentially paused the process. Shit takes forever here, and the state legislature is out of session soon for, I kid you not, the rest of the year. Hopefully they leave the med program alone, because it’s pretty fucking awesome as it is…..cheap prices, great product, lots of delivery services….all thanks to a real competitive market. We’re supposed to embrace capitalism, right?

 

[Polarbearboy]

There have already been some changes in the Maine rules. My buddy here in NH got an on-line med card and he had been using it at Maine med dispensaries. Now as of some immediate date, out of state cards won't be accepted any more. It seems that Maine made it so easy for Mainiacs and Washashores(out of staters) to get a medical card, that the new retail shops weren't having any customers. I've now been to HiLo in Poland and Seaweed in S. Portland and both were empty of customers. I asked the owner at HiLo and the manager at Seaweed why they were so empty, and both said almost the same thing "Nearly everyone who's interested in buying cannabis in Maine has a card and medical is cheaper because of less tax and more competition, so why shop retail."

There's now three shops within twenty minutes selling medical, but I'm having to drive nearly two hours each way to retail. Hard to imagine Bethel/Sunday River supporting three shops. But what do I know.

Meanwhile HiLo sells mostly Seaweed stuff and Seaweed has an excellent selection, so I have some great stuff. But Jars looks like it also has a great selection...and its so much closer.

 

[macbill]

Sorta Cannabis Maine News​

Maine Legislature Ends Civil Asset Forfeiture In The State​

Maine became the fourth state in the nation to abolish civil asset forfeiture, a practice where law enforcement can seize property if they suspect it is connected to criminal activity, even if the owner is not convicted of a crime.

 

[Polarbearboy]

Because of the racist "baby Trump" Governor LePage, it took Maine years after it voted to legalize before the first retail store opened. Even then, because the rules for purchasing medical were so easy to find ways around resulting in hundreds of "medical" dispensaries and most serious dopers had found ways to get medical cards, it has been exceeding slow in expanding the number of "adult" dispensaries. I live in NH on the ME border--I can actually see Maine from here--but there's only one dispensary in the whole region, and its selection is very limited. Nearest full service dispensary is nearly two hours away after more than a year of "adult"/"recreational" becoming legal. Still, I'm happy as there are some outstanding dispensaries selling outstanding products, both flower and concentrates. I've rapidly developed a preference for dispensaries that are vertically integrated, that is, they grow, process, and sell vrs. the places that grow but don't process, that process but don't grow, that sell but don't grow or process. I've now been into nearly a dozen ME adult dispensaries and three that stand out for the quality and diversity of their product are Landrace, Jar, and Seaweed, all fully integrated. We are living in the Golden Age of Weed!

 

[madhockeydad]

Because of the racist "baby Trump" Governor LePage, it took Maine years after it voted to legalize before the first retail store opened. Even then, because the rules for purchasing medical were so easy to find ways around resulting in hundreds of "medical" dispensaries and most serious dopers had found ways to get medical cards, it has been exceeding slow in expanding the number of "adult" dispensaries. I live in NH on the ME border--I can actually see Maine from here--but there's only one dispensary in the whole region, and its selection is very limited. Nearest full service dispensary is nearly two hours away after more than a year of "adult"/"recreational" becoming legal. Still, I'm happy as there are some outstanding dispensaries selling outstanding products, both flower and concentrates. I've rapidly developed a preference for dispensaries that are vertically integrated, that is, they grow, process, and sell vrs. the places that grow but don't process, that process but don't grow, that sell but don't grow or process. I've now been into nearly a dozen ME adult dispensaries and three that stand out for the quality and diversity of their product are Landrace, Jar, and Seaweed, all fully integrated. We are living in the Golden Age of Weed!

Too bad the expansion is so slow. MI is a great example of rapid expansion while IL is constrained by not having enough dispensaries and they are stuck in licensing legalities for the next set of licenses. The states should let the free market go to work and expand with reasonable fees, preference for local businesses, and expansions. IL is less than two years in and they have crossed $1 B in adult use sales even with the dispensary issue and MI is going crazy especially with out of state purchases. Definitely much better weed situation then it used to be but go to WA or OR or CA or CO - it's amazing the quantity, quality, and consistency of the cannabis!! Wow.

 

[Razhumikin]

Too bad the expansion is so slow. MI is a great example of rapid expansion while IL is constrained by not having enough dispensaries and they are stuck in licensing legalities for the next set of licenses. The states should let the free market go to work and expand with reasonable fees, preference for local businesses, and expansions. IL is less than two years in and they have crossed $1 B in adult use sales even with the dispensary issue and MI is going crazy especially with out of state purchases. Definitely much better weed situation then it used to be but go to WA or OR or CA or CO - it's amazing the quantity, quality, and consistency of the cannabis!! Wow.

Well, now Maine has the best cannabis on the East Coast hands down. I drive up to Maine from NY at least twice a year to restock on weed, as it is the only state AFAIK that allows out of state med card holders to use their medical marijuana system. Some medical dispensaries of particular note are Kind Farms Reserve and Green Truck, and some Maine growers I adore include Doomsday, Seapoint, and Nocturnal Farms.

 

[mitchgo61]

Agree with all of this.

Rec market here in ME is pricey relative to the med market, unsurprisingly. And it took way too long to roll out. But along the way changes to the medical program helped it become a truly awesome thing for ME cannabis users. You can get a card for under 50 bucks with a phone call, you can send a text to any of dozens of delivery services and have product at your door in minutes or hours, and the quality and pricing (and variety) of the medical offerings really does beat neighboring states (in my limited experience with MA and NH anyway). It is truly a golden age of weed in some parts of the US, a nice contrast to the multiple shitstorms we deal with daily these days.

Well, now Maine has the best cannabis on the East Coast hands down. I drive up to Maine from NY at least twice a year to restock on weed, as it is the only state AFAIK that allows out of state med card holders to use their medical marijuana system.

I believe most of the legal med states on the east coast now have reciprocity, though ME used to be the only one. I think a bunch of laws were changed a couple years ago (I know NJ now has reciprocity, for example). Worth checking the NORML site, not that we aren’t happy to see you up here.

 

[Razhumikin]

Agree with all of this.

Rec market here in ME is pricey relative to the med market, unsurprisingly. And it took way too long to roll out. But along the way changes to the medical program helped it become a truly awesome thing for ME cannabis users. You can get a card for under 50 bucks with a phone call, you can send a text to any of dozens of delivery services and have product at your door in minutes or hours, and the quality and pricing (and variety) of the medical offerings really does beat neighboring states (in my limited experience with MA and NH anyway). It is truly a golden age of weed in some parts of the US, a nice contrast to the multiple shitstorms we deal with daily these days.





I believe most of the legal med states on the east coast now have reciprocity, though ME used to be the only one. I think a bunch of laws were changed a couple years ago (I know NJ now has reciprocity, for example). Worth checking the NORML site, not that we aren’t happy to see you up here.

Does nj have reciprocity? I didnt know that, i know mass still doesnt because whenever i visit my parents i still need to get recreational. Thanks for the info though! Hopefully ill get back up to maine real soon, if only to go to highroller and get a lobster grilled cheese.

 

[mitchgo61]

Does nj have reciprocity? I didnt know that, i know mass still doesnt because whenever i visit my parents i still need to get recreational. Thanks for the info though! Hopefully ill get back up to maine real soon, if only to go to highroller and get a lobster grilled cheese.

Yes but apparently not for purchases, just possession. So I guess I was confused! Per the NORML site:

Card-carrying out-of-state patients may legally bring their marijuana into NJ for up to six months.

New Jersey Medical Marijuana Law - NORML

Status Operational Law Signed: 2010 QUALIFYING CONDITIONS Addiction substitute therapy for opioid reduction Amyotrophic…

norml.org

They didn’t even have that a few years ago so I guess it’s an improvement.

 

[Polarbearboy]

The wait is over. There are now three or four adult recreational cannabis retail outlets between Sunday River Brewing and the ski area 2 miles away, all about 25 minutes from here. No more five hour roundtrip drives to find quality dope. So from drought to abundance! As noted elsewhere, I prefer the retail outlets that are Farm-to-Market, that is, that grow, process their own concentrates, package, and retail rather than those that are just retail. I suppose I'm just being picky because those non-grower retailers are selling exclusively Maine-grown and processed stuff anyway, mostly organic. Nonetheless, I drove over to Newry earlier this week to Jar, an integrated grower/processor/retailer, and picked up some lovely Silver Kush live resin sugar, a gram of delicious Mimosa shatter, and a couple of pre-rolls of various flowers to sample. Superb stuff...finally.