Legal marijuana sales in the western US state of
Washington have begun amid a shortage of the
drug in the state.
State officials told licensed pot shops they could
open at 8:00 local time but only a few are
expected to have marijuana to sell on Tuesday.
The shortage comes as fewer than 100 people of
more than 2,600 who applied for a growing licence
were approved.
Washington and Colorado voters legalised the
possession and sale of the drug in November
2012.
An Associated Press survey of 25 licensed
Washington cannabis dealers found only six were
expected to open on Tuesday, including one in the
largest city of Seattle.
Only a fraction of the growers who applied for
licences were approved
Others planned to open later in the week, while
some shops said it would be at least a month
before they had marijuana to sell.
In Bellingham, Top Shelf Cannabis investor John
Evich told the Associated Press news agency they
were "pretty stoked" to be open on the first day of
sales.
"We haven't had any sleep in a long time, but
we're excited for the next step," Mr Evich said.
The store told the Seattle Times early on Tuesday
they initially saw fewer people than expected. Their
first customers were from Kansas.
Washington officials eventually expect about 300
licensed shops to open.
More than 2,600 people applied to become
licensed growers in Washington, but fewer than
100 have been approved.
And as of early this month, only about a dozen
growers had crops ready to harvest.
The shortage is expected to raise prices to at least
$25 (£15) a gram, the Associated Press news
agency reports.