Recreational marijuana sales begin in Delaware: Here is what you need to know

DOVER, Del. - Recreational marijuana sales for adults 21 and over officially began in Delaware on Friday, with 12 retail locations with medical marijuana conversion licenses now open to the public.

What we know:

The First State has gone green. Adult-use marijuana sales started in Delaware on Friday.

The long-awaited sales ring in a new chapter for the state, legally allowing consumers to purchase cannabis in various forms, including buds, gummies and other edibles, vapes, capsules and tinctures.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Delaware for over a decade, but now, anyone over the age of 21 can buy products from one of the state’s 13 approved adult-use dispensaries.

In 2024, 125 licenses costing $100,000 were awarded out of 1,269 applications.

While sales have begun, strict purchase and possession limits remain. People cannot buy or possess more than one ounce of marijuana, including flower or other leaf marijuana. 

Possessing more than one ounce is a misdemeanor in Delaware, punishable by up to three months in prison and a fine of up to $500. Buyers can make multiple purchases to exceed the one-ounce limit, provided any amount over the threshold is given away.

Under Delaware law, you cannot smoke marijuana in public and since it’s still federally illegal, you cannot cross state lines with weed.

The backstory:

Delaware legalized personal possession of marijuana for adults 21 and over after a 16-4 vote by the Democrat-controlled chamber in 2023. 

Proposed regulations were released in May 2024, then finalized in September 2024 after two rounds of public comment.

What they're saying:

"I just got some pre-rolls" said Bailey Peters of Wilmington. 

For the first time, he legally purchased a couple of joints to celebrate a big day.

Sean Schofield of Wilmington was one of the first in line this morning at the Field Supply Dispensary and Provisions on Kirkwood Highway.  

 "I’m pretty excited. I used to go to other states or get it not strictly safe ways’" he said.

On the first day of sales, dispensary owner James Brovyn says business was booming. 

A steady flow of customers were grabbing up pre-rolls, edibles and jars of raw cannabis.

"We are just grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Delaware finally with safe-tested, compliant high-quality cannabis products," he said.

The dispensaries themselves aren’t new since Delaware has had medical marijuana for the past decade. 

The products are the same but medical customers aren’t taxed on their weed purchases.

"We can have medical patients and adult use patients come in and go to the same register and do all the same things but recreational patients have to pay a 15% tax:" said Brovyn.

What's next:

With recreational sales now legal in New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, New York and Maryland.  

Is it time for Pennsylvania to join the ranks? State Senator Sharif Street (D) from Philadelphia says yes.

"I’m seeing revenue going right out the door," said Sen. Street.

Street says it’s high time for Pennsylvania to catch up with its neighbors. He estimates revenue of $500 to $700 million dollars a year in additional tax revenue.  A new bipartisan bill in the Legislature would allow the state to use that weed money to help fund SEPTA’s budget deficit and then some.

"It’s significantly more than what SEPTA needs. Significantly more than we need for all mass transit systems statewide, we could deal with both our mass transit issues and still have money left over to tackle some of our other issues, like getting money to schools.

CannabisDelaware