Zero recreational marijuana licenses have been issued less than 2 weeks from approved sale date in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - We’re less than two weeks away from the day that medical marijuana shops in Colorado Springs will also be able to sell recreationally.

That means anyone 21 years and older can purchase pot without a medical card for the first time within city limits.

The date is set for Monday, April 14th, but the city says no shops have received their licensing to sell recreational pot. The big question now on the minds of shoppers and shop owners is, will recreational marijuana be available in two weeks?

The city has received 66 applications from stores, facilities, and manufacturers to begin selling recreational marijuana.

Zipz is one of them, but as the April 14th day approaches, they’re beginning to worry if the work they’ve put in is going to pay off as neither them nor anyone else has received their license.

While you might be seeing signs around town reading "Recreational Marijuana," shops are not legally allowed to sell it until April 14th, and a license has been received. But as of Tuesday, no licenses have been approved.

"We've got to keep our fingers crossed and hope that the city gives us what it is..we're not just 100% sure. It's kind of just a waiting game at this point," Adrian Casados said.

Casados grows the product sold at Zipz, a medicinal shop that's hoping to serve all in two weeks.

"We do have a lot of customers that come. They ask if they can shop recreationally, and it's sad to have to turn patients away," Casados said.

They applied for their recreational license, and with hopes of getting approval, they've begun the preparations to sell. "We'll have different shelves. So, we'll have a med side shelf where the med patients can shop at a rec. side shelf where to rec. patients shop."

To comply with the law, they've already installed a second POS System, differentiating rec. and med sales. 

It's a costly structural change in addition to other fees.

"To have to apply both on the med side and the rec. side and the state fees and all the other stuff as well, it's very expensive to come out of pocket." Casados said.

In the end, Casados is hoping to be ready for one specific date: "We're hoping to get it ready and set for the 420 date, but we're not sure exactly what the city rules and regulations are going to go on with that, what's going to happen."

As of now, the city tells KRDO13 that no shops have been denied a recreational marijuana license, however, official approval is required from both the state and local levels.

The citizen initiative states there are no legal sales of recreational marijuana prior to April 14, 2025.