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Pot Shop Runs Out Of Product, Others Raise Prices

DENVER (CBS4) - The first week of legal pot sales in Colorado is over, and now some Colorado pot shops are already running out of product.

In the past week, long lines of customers swamped the Colorado dispensaries that have been granted retail marijuana licenses and bought nearly $5 million worth of pot.

The Clinic at 3888 East Mexico Avenue in Denver is now officially out of recreational pot. More than 800 customers from across the country showed up there on the first day.

Marijuana shortage
(credit: CBS)

They expect a new supply to arrive on Monday morning at 9 a.m.

Many shops are limiting the amount of pot a customer can buy, and some have raised their rates.

Marijuana shop owners like Moe Atieh of Citi-Med at 1640 East Evans Avenue say there's no way the current supply can meet the demand.

"We are okay right now but if things go the way they are we might be also running very short," Atieh said. "We expected it to be very busy. Did we expect it to be this busy? No, I don't think anybody did."

Under the current rules, pot shops have to grow their own marijuana, and for many stores with the approved licensing it will be several months before the first recreational pot harvest will be ready.

Until then shop owners hope more shops will open to absorb the tens of thousands of new customers.

"Hopefully we can catch our breath and get through the next couple of harvests and have enough for everybody," Atieh said.

Tracy Spencer purchased two joints at The Clinic before it ran out. She said the pot shortage comes as no surprise.

"It was okay with me, I guess, because you expect it. There are a lot of people here in Colorado who bombarded every dispensary that went to retail sales," Spencer said.

One customer who drove to The Clinic from his Glendale home went away somewhat dejected on Wednesday.

"Well, I spent gas for nothing," Nick Rousis said. "I'm disappointed, but I understand it's pretty competitive."

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