Canada starts legal marijuana sales Wednesday as world watches closely

[sandensea]

Source: USA Today

Canada’s launch of legal marijuana sales may set the stage for a global cannabis revolution, unleashing a wave of high-quality medical research that could bolster pot's reputation as a healthier alternative to alcohol and tobacco and fuel a economic boom across the USA.

Starting Wednesday, Canada becomes the highest-profile country to not only decriminalize cannabis possession and use - but to tax, regulate and monitor its growth, distribution and sale.

Canada’s national approach means pot businesses can use banks, trade stocks and sponsor peer-reviewed medical studies like any other pharmaceutical operation.

It's a far cry from the piecemeal approach taken in the USA, where cannabis entrepreneurs worry the Justice Department may swoop in if the political winds shift. Though a majority of states have adopted some form of legal weed, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level in the USA.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/canada-starts-legal-marijuana-sales-wednesday-as-world-watches-closely/ar-BBOs4uD

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Our friends north of the border celebrate as Canada becomes the second nation in the Americas, after Uruguay, to legalize cannabis for recreational use.

[OnlinePoker]

1. In all of BC there will be one legal shop open tomorrow.

The government had a year and a half to prepare and completely screwed it up.

[sandensea]

3. I see.

What happened?

[OnlinePoker]

4. A lot of things, but mostly ineptitude and procrastination

They took forever to figure out how they were going to market the goods (each province controls its own liquor and now marijuana services). They finally decided on where retail outlets could be located given distances from schools, etc and who could apply for a license (no criminal record). Unfortunately, they haven't approved any licenses yet and then the municipalities have to, if they haven't yet, approve zoning for that type of shop. Cops say they won't raid the unlicensed dispensaries tomorrow, but if they do, those people owning or working there won't be allowed into the industry once licenses are given as they will then have criminal records (if they don't already from previous raids). Some have laid off their staff in advance of tomorrow so they are compliant and can then apply for the license. People will still be able to order online through Shopify, which got the contract, and the pot will be shipped by Canada Post, but there won't be any one day delivery and if you aren't home when they deliver, you have to go to a postal outlet to pick it up. The one shop that will be open is near the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

[sandensea]

5. Amazing. Thanks for the explanation and insight.

If I didn't know better, it almost sounds like they're trying to weed out small retail outlets (no pun intended) in favor of larger, corporate suppliers and established online retaliers like Shopify.

I hope they can remedy the situation at the federal level, or at the provincial level at least.

Thanks again!

[Progressive Jones]

10. Patience!

[LiberalLovinLug]

20. meh, All my favorite shops are still open

The approval process is taking longer than expected. they are encouraged to shut down until they get it, but I gather they will turn a blind eye until then. No way they would try and forcibly shut down pot shops now, when these shops have been operating for a while now, even when it was technically illegal.

[Scurrilous]

2. Trailer Park Boys go to heaven.

[Mr.Bill]

6. In California the state and localities

are putting so many fees, regulations and taxes on it that the black market is still thriving. I live in a northern county that grows tons of weed and we have one legal store so far. I haven't even bothered to go there.

[mahigan]

7. This has been so badly botched

I fully expect that it will have to be redone within a few years. In the federal legislation and most of the provinces the legal age is 19. The new government in Quebec and possibly the government of Manitoba want to change that to 21. I can imagine the line up of vehicles full of 19 and 20 yr olds from Quebec headed to border cities in Ontario and New Brunswick for their weekend supply.

The legislation also allows people to grow up to 4 plants for their own use. Manitoba, Quebec and one of the northern territories don't allow residents to grow their own. In Manitoba, growing a plant will cost you a $2500 fine - the same as moonshining.

There is no reliable way for police to test for impairment and there isn't a big enough supply of even the doubtful devices to go around. Nor is there an accepted standard for impairment.

In Manitoba there is almost no place you can legally smoke except your own property and National Parks. Great if you own a house but apartment dwellers are SOL. And you can't smoke in a provincial park, beach etc or anywhere else in public.

Distribution centres are warning of national shortages - for as long as 6 months in some provinces. New massive greenhouses are being built but they are months away from producing a bud.

Only a small fraction of the legal outlets will be open on D-Day and some don't expect to be operational until well into next year.

Any notion that legalization will reduce the police workload is wishful thinking.

And these are just some of the problems.

Legalization is a wonderful idea. But it will have some problems anywhere it is tried. We should have done a much better job of it if Canada is the place that other countries are looking to for a plan for legalization.

[LanternWaste]

12. As far too many peer-reviewed studies have rendered your allegation false, what leads you to state a

"Any notion that legalization will reduce the police workload is wishful thinking."

As far too many peer-reviewed studies have rendered your allegation false, what valid evidence leads you to state as such?

Or is that merely an opinion?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Such good news. Refreshing breeze of change and sanity from a very large country.

It's really time the US grew up and changed with the times, made concessions to reality, too.

Love that sign in your photo!

Thank you, sandensea.

[sandensea]

14. Glad you liked it, Judi.

I felt it captured the mood of the moment.

As Online Poker pointed out at top though, its rollout is leaving a lot to be desired.

I hope they can remedy all these gaps and catch-22s in the legislation.

Have a great rest of your day!

[SKKY]

9. Here's an idea....

...what if we legalize it in the US, and then direct the tax revenues to better support the social safety net? Hmmm.

[Progressive Jones]

11. That's how the smart kids see it. Too many uptight squares in 'Murica. nt

[healthnut7]

13. Alberta

is ready!!!. Seventeen open today the first day, 6 alone in the city of Edmonton.
Here is the article.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4517832/alberta-cannabis-shop-locations/

I heard on the radio this am that a store in Newfoundland open at 1201 am. Ha Ha and that it was lined up around the block.

Also I heard that off every gram sold the Alberta gov't will make a $1, not too shabby.

[TrogL]

18. I've got a store just down the street from me

[riversedge]

15. Congrats to Canada and I hope you get your regulations in place very soon.

[Totally Tunsie]

16. LOL - I was wondering why it's so cloudy over New England today...

[TrogL]

17. I'm going to drop by a store tonight

Want to see if I can find from CBD oil for my wife’s chronic pain.

[TrogL]

21. The store is now closed - out of stock

[Yavin4]

19. Saw that the first purchase was with a bank card

In the US where its legal, you have to pay in cash because the banks are federally regulated and could be accused of laundering. Or do I have that wrong?