Denver issues finalized licenses to recreational marijuana stores

Denver's first recreational marijuana store owners picked up their city licenses Friday, the final step before opening on Jan. 1 among the first shops in the world approved to sell pot to all adults.

Larry Stevenson, the director of safety for the city's Excise and Licenses Department, repeatedly dinged a service bell Friday morning as a Denver licensing official handed the first license across the counter to Shawn Phillips, the owner of the Strainwise chain of stores. The handful of people in the licensing office — some of whom had lined up as early as 7:15 a.m. to await the office's 8 a.m. opening — applauded.

"It really hasn't sunk in yet," Phillips said of receiving final approval. "We've had so much work to do to get ready for Jan. 1."

Denver has so far given final approval to eight stores, 30 grows and four marijuana-infused products makers. The owners of those businesses could start picking up their completed licenses Friday at 8 a.m.

Marijuana use and limited possession has been legal in Colorado for everyone over 21 for any purpose since last year. But New Year's Day will mark the start to a more ambitious phase of Colorado's cannabis evolution: the world's first fully legal recreational marijuana marketplace.

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