Arizona is dropping all cannabis-related charges

It was an epic day on November 3rd for Arizona residents when the state finally voted to legalize the recreational drug.

As a result of the vote, the prosecutor in Arizona's largest district is dropping all pending charges of adult recreational marijuana use. "Rather than continuing to spend resources on these cases, this office will immediately begin executing the will of the voters," the Maricopa County prosecutor said in a written statement Monday. Motion 207 was passed in Arizona with 60% of the vote. In addition to decriminalizing most recreational use, the proposal allows previous convictions for marijuana to be erased. In the run-up to the vote, several existing dispensaries had already started to expand in anticipation of the adoption of the measure.

"We're already building walls and driving nails," said Steve Cottrell, president of Curaleaf Arizona to AZ Central. Curaleaf has eight medical marijuana dispensaries in Arizona and 95 medical and recreational marijuana stores in 23 states. Cottrell said the company was spending about $ 4 million upgrading existing Arizona stores in anticipation of recreational sales and had spent about eight months preparing to do so.

His Glendale store more than doubled in size to 5,000 square feet. "These are all construction projects that have been approved by each community," said Cottrell. "The plants sprout and do their thing," he said. "We're in full swing. If adult usage bears fruit, we'll be more than ready to get started." Curaleaf has a ninth license in Arizona and is seeking approval for an area somewhere in the Phoenix subway area to open a pharmacy.