Crowd gathers for first sale of recreational marijuana in Lansing

LANSING – Pat Campeau, 72, of Lansing, was the first one in line for Lansing's first day of adult-use marijuana sales.

Homegrown Cannabis Co., at the corner of South Pennsylvania Avenue and Jolly Road, was the first location in the city to offer adult-use products, although it had been operating as a medical provisioning center for more than a year.

Sitting in a red folding chair just outside Homegrown's front doors, bundled against the 20-degree weather, Campeau said he arrived at the shop around 7:30 a.m.

The store was scheduled to open at 9 a.m.

"I grew up in the 60s," he said. "This is, to me, a major event."

Before there was a legal way to use recreational marijuana, he thought "the laws were a little bit ridiculous and definitely a little bit too harsh."

By 9 a.m., more than 50 people had lined up behind Campeau to enter Homegrown, the queue wrapping around the building and stretching into the parking lot.

When doors opened, customers were ushered into Homegrown's lobby, where a DJ played music. Eventually, the first 10 customers were led into the showroom.

Campeau spent some time perusing the merchandise, as additional customers entered the space and made their selections.

One woman spent more than $200 on edible gummies.

Eventually, Campeau made his selections: a brownie and "this and that." 

"It's nice knowing I don't have to hire a lawyer," he said.

By 10 a.m., more than 100 people had entered Homegrown's doors.

More: Where can I buy and consume marijuana in Greater Lansing? Answers to your FAQs.

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A second Lansing retailer, Pure Options, has its licenses secured and was set to start adult-use sales at 6 p.m. Friday at 5815 S. Pennsylvania Ave. Their regular hours are 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day.

Homegrown will be open from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. every day but Sunday, when hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Purchases are cash only.

Shiawassee County also has a legal marijuana retailer about 30 miles north of Lansing. Lume Cannabis Co., at 116 N. Washington St. in Owosso, is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but Sunday, when hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lume takes cash or debit cards.

More: Owosso's first recreational marijuana retailer prepares for crowd at grand opening Tuesday

The city of Lansing has approved retail licenses for 15 businesses, many of which, like Homegrown and Pure Options, are already operating as medical provisioning centers.

East Lansing is due to consider applications for three retailers in March.

Most other municipalities in Greater Lansing have outright banned marijuana retail businesses.

Contact business reporter Christian Martinez atcmartinez@lsj.com or (517) 267-1342. Follow him on Twitter at @ChristianM_CA.

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