Boston area’s first recreational marijuana store a chance to celebrate public transit

As expected, New England Treatment Access is this weekend opening the first recreational marijuana store at its Brookline location at 160 Washington Street.

The company already operates a medicinal marijuana dispensary there, and the opening this Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m. is expected to bring major crowds.

The company, in fact, is closing down its 14-spot parking lot in anticipation of the lines (its Northampton store opening—one of the first two recreational pot shops on the entire East Coast—drew long, long queues in November 2018).

The company is recommending that customers—and the just generally curious—take the T. The store, ironically enough, is located near the Green Line.

Either the Broadway Village or Riverway stops should work. Though, beware: Shuttle buses are running along the Broadway Village’s D line for several weekends, including this weekend, because of repairs and neither is wheelchair-accessible. The repair work is supposed to wrap after May 5. The Riverway stop is along the unaffected E line.

(Try the MBTA’s handy trip planner for navigation.)

The opening of the Boston area’s first marijuana store, then, is a chance to celebrate the positive impact that public transportation can have and does have on the region. Usually, the T and commuter rail spark only negative thoughts among their users. Right?