Wayne County's first recreational marijuana dispensary opens to high demand

A recreational marijuana dispensary has finally opened in Wayne County, the most populated county in Michigan.

More than six weeks after recreational marijuana sales became legal in Michigan, 1st Quality Medz in River Rouge opened its doors to customers 21 years and older last week. The dispensary is selling cannabis flowers, edibles, tinctures, and vape pens.

1st Quality Medz, which has served medical marijuana cardholders for more than a year, was one of two Wayne County dispensaries to receive a state license this month to sell recreational marijuana. The other, Herbology in River Rouge, is expected to open in the next couple of weeks.

Vetra Stephens, owner of 1st Quality Medz, says the demand for recreational marijuana is high. In fact, she says, there have been more recreational customers than medical ones.

“There’s a very strong demand,” Stephens tells Metro Times. “We have some great products here. I am a proponent of natural products.”

Stephens is CEO of PTN Group, which operates the dispensary and a cultivation center. Like many of the recreational dispensaries that have opened statewide, 1st Quality Medz doesn’t have a large selection of flowers — yet. Commercial growers are still waiting to cut, trim, and cure their first crop since sales became legal on Dec. 1.

“It’s just a matter of time,” Stephens says. “This is a movement that is going to evolve into something great.”

1st Quality Medz is at 286 Burke St.

Of the 36 recreational dispensaries that received licenses to operate so far, only two are in Wayne County. More than 30 Wayne County communities, including Detroit, have passed ordinances banning recreational pot businesses. Detroit’s last-minute ban was designed to be temporary to give city council more time to draft rules and guidelines on recreational dispensaries. But the council has yet to take up the issue in the new year.

Six Detroit dispensaries and grow operations have sued Detroit and the state's Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), arguing they were pre-approved for licenses before the city's moratorium went into effect on Nov. 22.


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