BROCKTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Many had high hopes of stocking up on recreational marijuana before Gov. Charlie Baker's mandate that non-essential businesses must close, but some dispensaries cut off their supplies early.
"Non-essential" businesses across Massachusetts shut down their physical operations to customers, employees, and the public at noon Tuesday, and recreational marijuana retail stores didn't make the cut of "essential" businesses.
Those who stopped in to replenish their stashes before noon at In Good Health in Brockton found out the hard way that the store was only selling medical marijuana, despite having hours to spare before the noon deadline.
A security guard out front had the unfortunate job of telling countless people to come back when non-essential businesses could operate normally.
Countless cars showed up with the hopes of getting recreational weed, but many were turned around.
Medicinal sales were not affected by the governor's order—only recreational sales.
Kerry Murphy told WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas she was among those who was going to be dry for a while.
"I just wasted money to come up here, too, in an Uber," she said. "There's no fair warning on the website, it says medical and recreational."
Other dispensaries, like NETA in Brookline and Northampton, announced that they were halting adult use sales at noon.
"We look forward to reopening Adult Use sales as soon as we are able, as we understand that our adult use customers rely on access to cannabis for their well-being," NETA said in a post on their website. They also posted information on how to become a medical marijuana patient.
They also asked that anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19, or who thinks they may have been exposed, not visit their dispensaries.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports
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