The debate over the legalization of marijuana has been going on for decades. Colorado recently made history this week when it allowed recreational marijuana stores to open their doors and sell their products to the long lines of customers waiting to take advantage of the new policy.

Buyers weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the policy, over 30 shops were allowed to start selling marijuana on Wednesday to any customer over the age of 21. Many people lined up outside the stores hours before they opened to ensure that they would be the first to buy marijuana legally in Colorado. People all over the world flocked to Colorado to make their purchases and celebrate a historical win for marijuana users and activists.

While only a few stores were able to start selling marijuana on Wednesday, there are over 136 others that are waiting on their applications to be approved so they can also join in on the sales. You might think that heavy users would be the most excited about the legalization of marijuana, but many people in line on Wednesday said that they were not regular users and were only buying cannabis because they could.

One woman said, “We voted for it, and now it’s here,” Dee said of the recreational marijuana law. “We just went in and celebrated the new law. It’s a new day.”

Voters in Colorado and Washington approved the sale of recreational marijuana in 2012, but Colorado is the first to offer stores that are regulated by the government and licensed to sale cannabis. While not everyone agrees that the legalization of marijuana is a good thing, Colorado’s economy is likely to grow due to the new policy and new jobs that will be created over the next few months.

What do you think about Colorado’s first legal recreational marijuana sales?

Image via Wikimedia Commons.