Squamish officially has its first provincially-licensed cannabis dispensary.
After a month-long closure, Sky High Cannabis re-opened its doors on Sept. 30 as a fully-licensed marijuana retailer.
For the family that owns and operates the store, getting the certification has been a long-anticipated endeavour. The reopening was an emotional moment.
"It's hard to put into words — it was like Christmas morning this morning, you know, five minutes before opening, we were just so excited," said co-owner Tristan Mussett.
"Excited, antsy, like we were going to open our presents," said his daughter, Linley, who manages the store's social media.
Locals didn't waste any time getting back in line for their fix of THC. Just after opening at 10 a.m., a lineup had already formed in the store.
With an official provincial licence, the store can operate without fear of being shut down by authorities.
Since legalization, all cannabis retailers in B.C. are required to get licensed by the province's Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
Following approval, the retailers will have to get their products from the province, which is now the case for Sky High.
"We're so happy to be Number 1," said co-owner Aimee Todd-Mussett, with a laugh, regarding being the first licensed store in Squamish. "It feels really good."
In August the store was given preliminary approval.
The owners say they passed their provincial inspection at the beginning of September, but additional bureaucratic procedures dragged out the process a bit longer.
So far, no other dispensaries in Squamish have gained the coveted licence.
Sky High's operators thanked the town for its support.
"We now know that our success is a joint effort with the community," said Aimee.
