Washington became the second state to begin legal adult-use sales of cannabis when five state-licensed retail stores opened their doors on July 8. Although opening day was somewhat subdued by the small number of licensed stores and concerns about temporarily tight inventories, the mood was nonetheless celebratory and sales were brisk. According to Washington’s Liquor Control Board, which oversees I-502 cannabis regulation, approximately $1.27 million in adult-use cannabis purchases took place in the first ten days of legal sales.

The overall impact of Washington’s adult-use legalization program will take some time to assess, as the state is rolling out retail licenses slowly. (As of July 21, only 24 of the eventual 334 available retail licenses had been issued.) Cultivation and infused-product licenses have also been slow in coming, which has made it impossible for the state’s cannabis producers to fully supply I-502 demand in the opening weeks. Retail operations have experienced shortages and temporary outages.

Questions also still remain about the future of Washington’s medical marijuana industry, which has operated legally (though without a state-level regulatory program) for more than a decade.

Still, despite the questions and challenges Washington’s market will face in the coming weeks and months, the opening of legal adult-use sales marks another hugely historic step toward the end of marijuana prohibition and the growth of a legitimate, successful, and beneficial cannabis industry.