Colorado’s smokin’-hot new commodity

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Colorado’s smokin’-hot new commodity

State draws spotlight as first state to sell recreational pot legally
Employees of Medicine Man in Denver help customers pick out marijuana on the first day of legal, over-the-counter sales with no medical license needed on Jan. 1, 2014.
Darren Austin of Georgia and his son, Tyler Austin of North Carolina, made the trip to Colorado to be some of the first people to purchase marijuana in a legal, over-the-counter sale on Jan. 1, 2014, at Denver’s Discreet Dispensary, one of about 40 shops statewide that were licesed to sell recreational marijuana Wednesday.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Toni Fox, owner of Denver's Discreet Dispensary, makes the symbolic first sale of recreational marijuana to Sean Azzariti, wearing a checkered shirt, on Jan. 1, 2014, in Denver.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Dozens of people wait in line to be among the first in the world to buy marijuana legally and over the counter at Medicine Man, one of 18 medical marijuana stores in Denver ñ and about 40 statewide ñ that were licensed to sell recreational marijuana on Jan. 1, 2014.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Chris Cook, an employee of Denver's Discreet Dispensary, talks about his stores products on the first day of legal sales, Jan. 1, 2014. At stores around the city, marijuana was selling for $25 to $50 for an eighth of an ounce, depending on th strain and quality.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

An informational sign from the city of Denver hangs on the door of Denver's Discreet Dispensary on jan. 1, 2014, letting marijuana users know they can't smoke it in public, drive under the influence or carry it out of state.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Marijuana-infused candy is for sale at Medicine Man in Denver on Jan. 1, 2014. Marijuana legalization critics say attractively packaged edible and drinkable pot is a danger to children, who can take it unwittingly.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

With jars of their product displayed on the table, employees of Medicine Man in Denver sell marijuana to a customer on Jan. 1, 2014, in Denver on the first day that any government in the world allowed licensed retail sales of marijuana. Sale of the drug remains a federal offense, but the U.S. Department of Justice has signaled it will let Colorado sales proceed as long as the state is running a tight regulatory system.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

A customer at Medicine Man in Denver makes his selection on the first day of retail sales of recretional marijuana on Jan. 1, 2014.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Marijuana-infused drinks are for sale at Medicine Man in Denver on Jan. 1, 2014. Marijuana legalization critics say attractively packaged edible and drinkable pot is a danger to children, who can take it unwittingly.

Colorado’s smokin’-hot new commodity

Employees of Medicine Man in Denver help customers pick out marijuana on the first day of legal, over-the-counter sales with no medical license needed on Jan. 1, 2014.
Darren Austin of Georgia and his son, Tyler Austin of North Carolina, made the trip to Colorado to be some of the first people to purchase marijuana in a legal, over-the-counter sale on Jan. 1, 2014, at Denver’s Discreet Dispensary, one of about 40 shops statewide that were licesed to sell recreational marijuana Wednesday.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Toni Fox, owner of Denver's Discreet Dispensary, makes the symbolic first sale of recreational marijuana to Sean Azzariti, wearing a checkered shirt, on Jan. 1, 2014, in Denver.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Dozens of people wait in line to be among the first in the world to buy marijuana legally and over the counter at Medicine Man, one of 18 medical marijuana stores in Denver ñ and about 40 statewide ñ that were licensed to sell recreational marijuana on Jan. 1, 2014.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Chris Cook, an employee of Denver's Discreet Dispensary, talks about his stores products on the first day of legal sales, Jan. 1, 2014. At stores around the city, marijuana was selling for $25 to $50 for an eighth of an ounce, depending on th strain and quality.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

An informational sign from the city of Denver hangs on the door of Denver's Discreet Dispensary on jan. 1, 2014, letting marijuana users know they can't smoke it in public, drive under the influence or carry it out of state.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Marijuana-infused candy is for sale at Medicine Man in Denver on Jan. 1, 2014. Marijuana legalization critics say attractively packaged edible and drinkable pot is a danger to children, who can take it unwittingly.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

With jars of their product displayed on the table, employees of Medicine Man in Denver sell marijuana to a customer on Jan. 1, 2014, in Denver on the first day that any government in the world allowed licensed retail sales of marijuana. Sale of the drug remains a federal offense, but the U.S. Department of Justice has signaled it will let Colorado sales proceed as long as the state is running a tight regulatory system.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

A customer at Medicine Man in Denver makes his selection on the first day of retail sales of recretional marijuana on Jan. 1, 2014.
JOE HANEL/Durango Herald

Marijuana-infused drinks are for sale at Medicine Man in Denver on Jan. 1, 2014. Marijuana legalization critics say attractively packaged edible and drinkable pot is a danger to children, who can take it unwittingly.