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Washington became one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012. But there are a lot of challenges ahead: the state must set up a licensing system for marijuana growers and sellers, the federal government may mount a challenge, the need to set a new limit on amount of marijuana in the bloodstream for safe driving. And medical marijuana is still in the picture.Over the next several months we will be exploring the issue and tracking the impact of I-502.

Jonesing For A Joint? Too Bad, Seattle Is Out Of Weed

Cannabis City has sold out of its indicas, sativas and hybrids.

No more marijuana for sale until July 21, according to a sign hung on the door of Seattle's first recreational pot store.

KUOW reporter Patricia Murphy was driving by Cannabis City in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood on Friday when she noticed the windows were dark. Upon closer look, she noticed a handwritten sign on a piece of printer paper that said, "We are out of stock ... thank you."

(Trish insists she was driving to the Department of Corrections down the street when she spotted two dejected looking guys walking away from the store’s front door.)

Cannabis City was the only store in Seattle that started selling marijuana legally on Tuesday — the first day recreational pot could be sold out of a licensed store in Washington state. Voters approved legal pot sales in November 2012.

Washington state issued 25 licenses on Monday, although just five stores opened their doors the following day. Growers were rushing to harvest and dry their product for Tuesday. But as the day approached, there was concern that there wouldn't be enough.

Washington requires that pot be tested for yeast, mold and microbes before it is passed for sale.

The two testing labs in the state are reporting that a total of about 120 samples have come in so far. About 10 percent failed tests for yeast, mold and microbes.

And that means there were about 300 pounds of salable weed for the whole state.

With pot out of stock in Seattle, this means Seattleites will have to go back to smoking old school.