Social Cannabis Legalized in Canada: Nation-Wide Shortage For Years To Come As Demand Overwhelms Supply

[KantoTerror]

Christ, I had no idea it was so strict.

surprisingly, the big cities are not the best places for laid back people...TO and Van...Halifax is great. Edmonton. Calgary.

 

[dontsnitch]

In every other province, the provincial government is in full control of liquor sales. That means that liquor, i.e. Rum, Whiskey, Gin, etc. is only sold at government run outlets where you're served by government employees. For the consumer this means:

- Access to as much selection as the government sees fit
- Discounts usually somewhere in the 2-3% off area
- No competitive pricing seeing how the government has nobody to compete with
- Inconvenient store hours (although this varies from province to province)
- Being served by clerks who make $20+ per hour for doing essentially the same thing as some kid at any other retail store (and of course being government employees, your taxes are paying that wage)

At least here in Quebec, convenience stores are allowed to sell wine and beer, but for everything else, you're at the government's mercy. Contrast that with Alberta:

- No government run liquor stores, meaning all stores are private
- Selection is determined by consumer preference
- Actual discounts, not some shitty $3 off a $55 bottle of scotch
- Competitive pricing
- Convenient store hours
- Entrepreneurs are free to open specialty stores (e.g. whiskey) because they're passionate about the product, not because they don't have anything better to do

Literally the only reason you could argue in favour of government run stores is if you believe that knowing red wine goes with steak is worth making $20 per hour, and that this knowledge is so valuable that it should come out of the tax payers' pocket.

I used to work for the lcbo. They throw away bottles you return. It's a policy to ensure no tampering has occurred. Full unopened bottles right in the toilet. that blew my mind.

 

[Grenz]

I used to work for the lcbo. They throw away bottles you return. It's a policy to ensure no tampering has occurred. Full unopened bottles right in the toilet. that blew my mind.

You mean to tell me the provincial government runs a wasteful inefficient operation?

 

[Arkain2K]

I live in a province where alcohol is strictly controlled and sold by the government, but pot is in the free marketplace. smh

You win some, you lose some, no country/province is perfect. I think you guys should still be happy with the good news that the proposed Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation government monopoly on weed is out the window

See the amazing things that can happen when your country isn't half filled with fearful, regressive rednecks?

Common sense policies that everyone knows are common sense can actually get passed.

Good for you Canada.

Do you even know what the LCBO is before posting your usual partisan crap?

 

[Ruprecht]

The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation is a very strange thing.
I'm all for public utilities, but I'm just not sure weed and grog meet my definition of a "utility".
I'm surprised there isn't a state tea, coffee or tobacco corporation.
What's with the 19 year old age restriction? I thought the drinking age was a civilised 18 in Canada, but I see that you've got some variation.

 

[Protectandserve]

Read an article saying Canadian cops will now be able to smoke the ganja while off duty...

 

[Ruprecht]

Read an article saying Canadian cops will now be able to smoke the ganja while off duty...

Everywhere but Calgary (so far) apparently.

 

[Vitamin C]

Read an article saying Canadian cops will now be able to smoke the ganja while off duty...

Everywhere but Calgary (so far) apparently.

RCMP and Toronto have 28 days before duty restrictions. If that's not a full ban dressed up in extra words I'll eat my hat. Who in any job gets 28+ days between shifts? Employees who abide by that policy will effectively be prohibited.
I'm not critizing that though. I'm honestly a little surprised at the police policies being released.
The Airlines are coming down much harder on it. Full prohibitions for any employees involved in flights. Pilots, attendants, mechanical staff etc.

 

[Ruprecht]

RCMP and Toronto have 28 days before duty restrictions. If that's not a full ban dressed up in extra words I'll eat my hat. Who in any job gets 28+ days between shifts? Employees who abide by that policy will effectively be prohibited.

Yeah... that's a ban. They don't get more than 28 days off a year unless they've been in the service 23+ years right?

 

[Bald1]

I've always thought Albertan culture is way more American than Canadian. And not just for the oil and beef.

We're a bit more pro gun than most other provinces as well, but our drinking age (18) sets us apart from you guys. I've never lived in the States so can't really comment on differences. I imagine the further south one goes the less similarities.

As for the topic at hand? Guess I'll have to eat my hat as I was sure Trudeau was going to postpone legalization until next year around this time.

 

[Madmick]

Surprise, my brothers to the north!

What nobody told you...merely legalizing it was the easy part. Have fun with ordinances.

 

[Arkain2K]

Dazed and confused: Canada cannabis legalization brings complex new laws
Recreational marijuana will be legal throughout the country, but rules will vary from province to province
By Leyland Cecco | Tue 16 Oct 2018

Canada will this week become the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana, but as they negotiate a patchwork of new legislation and inconsistent enforcement, smokers may soon find that their enjoyment of weed is still blunted.

New rules governing cannabis use are different in each of the country’s 10 provinces and three territories, and campaigners warn that experimentation could still result in hefty fines – or even arrest.

“There will be more laws around the cannabis plant after legalization than there were before,” said Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, a professor at the University of Toronto. “I don’t think the average Canadian is aware of that.”

The prime minister, Justin Trudeau, was elected on a manifesto promise to follow the example of Uruguay and legalize cannabis, arguing that the move would cut the estimated C$6bn ($4.5bn) in profits pouring into the black market.

As of Wednesday, Canadians aged 18 and over will be able to legally purchase the drug for recreational use. (Medical marijuana has been legal since 2001.)

Exactly how they will be able to buy it will vary from province to province: Nova Scotia, (population 940,000) will have 12 stores, run in conjunction with the province’s liquor board; British Columbia (population 4.6 million) will have just one. In Ontario – Canada’s most populous province – it will initially only be available online.

“It’s amazing that Canada has taken this position, setting the stage for the world to watch as we show how cannabis legalization is a good thing,” said Robin Ellins, the owner of a cannabis accessory shop in Toronto. “We’ve spent a quarter of a century advocating for legalization. And now, it’s here.”

But regulations rushed into place to govern the legal market could have jarring and unintended consequences, said Abby Deshman of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

“We’re legalizing the industry, but criminalizing a lot of the aspects around the use of cannabis,” she said.

Only purchases from officially recognized stores will be legal: someone selling a few ounces to a friend could still face fines or even jail time.

Giving marijuana to a minor remains illegal, so an 18-year-old sharing marijuana with a 17-year-old could in theory face a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.

“The danger in this is that people are going to go out and think that they’re using a legal substance and will use it in a variety of ways that may seem innocuous, but could result in criminal charges,” said Deshman.

Meanwhile, the government has shrugged off calls for an amnesty for those prosecuted under the previous legal framework: more than 15,000 have been charged over marijuana-related offences since Trudeau was elected in 2015.

“I want to see social justice happen to those who were criminalized for possession of the plant,” said Ellins. “I want to see them go back and expunge that.”

Studies have found that black and indigenous residents have faced disproportionate charges and sentencing in Canada’s criminal justice system, and legal experts warn that racial disparities will persist after legalization.

“Because our policing practices are racialized anyway, there’s no reason to think that’s going to change after legalization,” said Owusu-Bempah.

“We’ve got evidence from a number of American states that the racial disparity in arrests for things that remain illegal actually grow after legalization or decriminalization.”

Even with more minor aspects of the law, the rules vary dramatically across the country: in Ontario, people will be free to smoke or vape marijuana anywhere they can legally consume tobacco, but in Saskatchewan, public consumption of cannabis will incur a $200 fine; in Manitoba the penalty will be $672.

Travelling with marijuana will not be straightforward: in Manitoba, it must be kept in the car’s trunk. In Prince Edward Island, it can be kept in open packaging, but out of the reach of the driver or passengers. But in Canada’s north, residents of Nunavut will be barred from carrying it any vehicles.

Stiff penalties will be imposed for anyone caught with more than five nanograms of THC – the psychoactive component of marijuana – in their blood. But critics argue the limit is arbitrary and not backed up by science and warn that medical marjiuana users, who develop higher natural THC levels in their blood, could end up facing severe punishment.

The stakes are potentially much higher at the border with the US, where marijuana possession and trafficking remains a federal crime. The US border agency was recently forced to clarify that Canadians who work in the burgeoning legal marijuana sector will be allowed to travel to the US, after several were reportedly turned back at the frontier.

Meanwhile, some police officers are still wondering if they themselves will be able to use marijuana while off-duty: in Vancouver, officers have been told to treat it like alcohol, as long as they show up for the job sober. But members of the Toronto police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police must wait 28 days after consuming the drug before they are considered fit for duty.

Many of the laws reflect a cautious approach by both the federal and provincial governments – and a recognition that the rollout and enforcement will be a learning process for every group involved, said Deshman.

One thing is certain, she added: “There will be legal challenges.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/16/canada-legalizes-recreational-marijuana-law-problems

 

[kazam]

anyone ordered weed online in Canada has a good store / site to suggest me?

 

[dontsnitch]

anyone ordered weed online in Canada has a good store / site to suggest me?

That's illegal. Ironically.

 

[Arkain2K]

Exactly how they will be able to buy it will vary from province to province: Nova Scotia, (population 940,000) will have 12 stores, run in conjunction with the province’s liquor board; British Columbia (population 4.6 million) will have just one. In Ontario – Canada’s most populous province – it will initially only be available online.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/16/canada-legalizes-recreational-marijuana-law-problems

anyone ordered weed online in Canada has a good store / site to suggest me?

That's illegal. Ironically.

???

 

[SammyPops]

Come visit NOLA. You can drink anywhere in the city.

I don't even know what NOLA is? One of my guilty pleasures is to drink in line while checkign into hotel in vegas- bliss.

 

[Wet Blanket]

The funniest part is that in Ontario you can only buy it online and have it delivered via Canada Post.... Who last night announced they will be going on strike in 72hrs.

 

[floivanus]

Coca-Cola wants to make a “wellness” drink packed full of cannabinol?
I’m sure they’ll pack that bad boy full of corn syrup and all the other crappy toxic garbage they like to throw in their current products. Same with producers like Marlboro who are eying Cannabis production. Who’s going to be dumb enough to trust these clowns?

 

[floivanus]

This is asinine, and comes from the mind of a 24/7 stoner, who thinks everyone's tolerance is as high as their own. Weed effects everyone differently, and you certainly don't want a bunch of lightweights out on the road driving high.

To thank anyone’s tolerance is the same as your own is asinine.

 

[Which Doctor]

You're just accustomed to it. If you were in Quebec and came to Ontario you might find that having to go to a beer store instead of the corner store is dumb. Also don't forget that for years that was the only option. No grocery stores until the last couple of years. The time thing is dumb as well.

I remember when almost everything besides restos, bars, a few markets and entertainment venues closed on Sundays.