ADRIAN, Mich. — April 20 is considered the most important day on the cannabis calendar. At Amazing Budz in Adrian, Michigan, business on Thursday was about as good as it has ever been.
Budz management said that's good news for the local economy.
"With bringing in so much traffic, it's enabling success in other different avenues and businesses within the local marketplace," assistant manager Chris Jacobson said.
Jacobson said the store sees plenty of customers from Ohio. One estimate has the Buckeye state making up more than a quarter of sales.
"So about 30% of our sales and our customer base is out of Ohio, and 50% of our sales comes out of Saturday and Sunday, so everyone that comes out of town is what's making this place run," manager Aaron Jackson said.
Ohioan Mandy Hagins makes the drive from Ohio. She said she uses THC products to help relieve pain and to de-stress.
"I have chronic back pain," Hagins said. "The lotion is fantastic. There's a lot of emotional trauma that it helps deal with. It's more about healing for anyone that wants to use it."
An initiative to legalize recreational cannabis could be on the Ohio ballot in November, and some are ready to see the state's leaders make it happen.
"Absolutely I'm hopeful that they will," Amazing Buds customer Esther Copper said. "I hope they would know how much tax money it brings in. Adrian has banked on all of the dispensaries that are open now because there used to not be any."
Amazing Budz management would be happy for the state too, even if it means potentially losing some customers.
"I'm excited for the people of Ohio to be able to have cannabis more accessible to them, and they don't have to make a 45-minute, to 2-hour drive," Jackson said. "If you can have it in your state, I'd much rather have it in your state. It's better for almost everybody."