VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Even though marijuana is legal in Washington State, it’s not that easy to buy. That’s because people need to purchase it from state-run stores, which don’t exist yet.

Morgan Wilbanks with the New Millennium Collective in Seattle says they’ve had a lot of calls from people in BC wanting to buy pot.

But if you want to buy from a dispensary, you need to be a Washington State resident and have a doctor’s prescription.

“The stores are going to be run like government-run liquor stores. Everything has to be state inspected,” she stresses.

She points out if you’re caught with a large amount, you need to prove you bought it from a state store.

“Right now there are no state stores. They won’t be open for a couple of years. So that is a problem for people looking for marijuana.”

The new law allows smokers to carry an ounce for personal use.