Although only five stores have been approved so far, the remaining dispensaries are making sure they don t lag behind. Lakewood only allows existing medical dispensaries in good standing to apply for retail marijuana licenses, and building modification permits are required to separate recreational and medical marijuana sales for businesses that choose to serve both.
Recreational cultivation is also permitted under the ordinance, and Lakewood Public Information Officer Stacie Oulton anticipates heavy interest among business operators.
Ascend Cannabis, a medical dispensary in Lakewood since 2010, recently opened one of Littleton’s first retail marijuana dispensaries but is still waiting on approval from Lakewood to modify its current medical dispensaries for recreational sales, according to owner Scott Embree.