Sober start as recreational marijuana becomes legal in Canada

[webfact]

Sober start as recreational marijuana becomes legal in Canada

By Nichola Saminather and Julie Gordon

 

A customer enters the Natural Vibe store after legal recreational marijuana went on sale in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

 

TORONTO/VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Canada became the first industrialized nation to legalize recreational cannabis on Wednesday, but a lawful buzz will be hard to come by in its biggest cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where stores are not yet open.

 

The day was historic for the country as Canadian adults can now legally smoke recreational marijuana after nearly a century-long ban.

 

But provinces and businesses have struggled to prepare, and legalization was pushed back from a July start to enable setting up distribution and sales networks.

 

Despite the early problems, the move is a political win for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who vowed to legalize cannabis during his 2015 election campaign. The pledge was aimed at taking profits away from organised crime and regulating the production, distribution and consumption of a product that millions of Canadians consume illegally.

 

"The prohibition on marijuana has not worked in this country," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. "Young Canadians have the highest usage of marijuana anywhere in the world ... criminal organizations and street gangs make over C$6 billion a year on the sale of marijuana across the country... That needs to stop and that's exactly what we have done."

 

The federal government and many provinces have been cautious, starting with limited stores and products, including no edible cannabis products for a year, and tight control over supply.

 

In many parts of the country, particularly those with few stores, much of the legal sales action was online, as consumers flocked to websites run by provincial governments and licensed retailers to buy legally, despite a few days' wait for delivery and extra charges.

 

The online stores using Shopify Inc's e-commerce software across the country were processing more than 100 orders a minute, and had millions of visitors in the first 12 hours, an external spokeswoman said. Some websites ran out of popular products.

 

"What changes is that now I can use it openly, without people coming and challenging my right to use it," said Peter Hasek, a music teacher who grows the plant at home and was attending an end-of-prohibition party at a downtown Toronto coffee shop.

 

To him, that is more important than access to legal product, he said.

 

NOT YOUR TYPICAL STONERS

Ontario, home to Canada's most populous city, Toronto, will have no stores until April 2019 due to a change in the province's retail model by a new provincial government.

 

British Columbia will have both private and government stores, but has yet to issue any private licenses. In Vancouver, the City Cannabis Co dispensary, which is licensed by the city and awaiting provincial retail approval, was still operating, despite a government suggestion earlier this week that existing "gray market" shops close until fully licensed.

 

Consultants in pressed black aprons served a mostly older clientele browsing varieties of dried cannabis and bottles of tinctures.

 

"Most of our customers are professionals, not your typical stoners," said general manager Alex Orantes.

 

In Kamloops, at British Columbia's only legal shop open and run by the government, a line started forming at 6:00 am PT (1300 GMT), the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

 

Marijuana enthusiasts in St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's easternmost province, kicked off legal sales at midnight, with over 100 people lining up outside a Tweed-branded store owned by Canopy Growth Corp.

 

Canopy Chief Executive Officer Bruce Linton rang in the first sales to residents Ian Power and Nikki Rose.

 

Shares of Canadian cannabis companies retreated on Wednesday after rallying in the run-up to legalization. Canopy and Aurora Cannabis, the world's two biggest cannabis producers, closed down 4.3 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively, after touching all-time highs on Tuesday.

 

Even in provinces with more shops, many shelves are expected to soon be empty because of a shortage of product. A study by the University of Waterloo and the C.D. Howe Institute economic policy think tank found legal supply will satisfy less than 60 percent of demand in the early months, although that will change as production increases.

 

POLICE 'NOT CHAMPING AT THE BIT'

Separately, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale on Wednesday said the government would waive the fee and waiting period when people who have been convicted of possession of up to 30 grams (1 ounce) of marijuana apply for pardons, after they've served their sentences. The legislation will be introduced by the end of the year, he said.

 

Law enforcement of those driving under the influence of marijuana could be patchy. In August, Canada approved a device to detect levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive element in cannabis, in a driver's saliva.

 

But many large police departments will forego the C$5,000 device, Adam Palmer, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, told reporters on Monday.

 

Draeger Safety Canada, which makes the device, has shipped some units, but a two-week federal funding delay has put further orders on hold. It expects demand for between 300 and 500 units through March, Managing Director Rob Clark said.

 

Canada has invested C$274 million to enforce new laws and some provinces have allocated their own funding, but Palmer said police will not crack down on illegal stores right away.

 

"When the law changes on the 17th, we're not going to see a big change overnight," Palmer said. "Police aren't ... champing at the bit to go out and start raiding stores."

 

($1 = 1.2934 Canadian dollars)

 

(Reporting by Nichola Saminather in Toronto and Julie Gordon in Vancouver; Additional reporting by Chris Wattie in St. John's, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bill Berkrot)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-18

[Topdoc]

Returning happiness to the people

[Stargeezr]

Justin Trudeau, Officially Pot Head number One!

[Samui Bodoh]

I am always fiercely proud to be Canadian, but today even more than most days.

 

Well done, eh!

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Samui Bodoh

[mtls2005]

In other news, poutine sales skyrocket.

 

 

[lovelomsak]

Canada is known for growing the best pot . So tourism may go up too. Fly to Canada get stoned go skiing,or white water rafting or fishing you name it. Or just rent a cabin in the woods and chill out.

[EVENKEEL]

11 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

Canada is known for growing the best pot . So tourism may go up too. Fly to Canada get stoned go skiing,or white water rafting or fishing you name it. Or just rent a cabin in the woods and chill out.

Or Colorado...…… same, same

[LomSak27]

I would not profess to know about how this will affect Saskatoba or places farther east, whatever they are. However, in the only province that matters; British Columbia, I don't have to smuggle legal smoke across the border. No I can just pick it up in province when heading to Kootenay National Park or Valhalla Provincial Park. Tim Hortons stands to get a food trip boost in sales.   

Edited October 18, 2018 by LomSak27

[Nyezhov]

17 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

Canada is known for growing the best pot . So tourism may go up too. Fly to Canada get stoned go skiing,or white water rafting or fishing you name it. Or just rent a cabin in the woods and chill out.

Canadian weed is very good, but it doesnt quite match some strains sold in Alaska and Vegas.  I think Colorado and Washington and California weed is basically ditch weed.

[bristolboy]

13 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Canadian weed is very good, but it doesnt quite match some strains sold in Alaska and Vegas.  I think Colorado and Washington and California weed is basically ditch weed.

The best stuff everywhere is grown indoors under highly controlled conditions including exposure to light.  Why would the locale matter even one iota?

[Guest]

[bendejo]

Congrats Canada!  (or is it now Cannada?)

Federal law on legalizing it in US is nowhere in sight, but the states are handling it, and the selling point to the politicians is $$$ from taxing it.  On the other hand, there would be Federal tax if fully legal, and then we'd have an Elliot Ness -style task force busting people etc.

The entire west coast is legal.

 

[HooHaa]

1 hour ago, lovelomsak said:

Canada is known for growing the best pot . So tourism may go up too. Fly to Canada get stoned go skiing,or white water rafting or fishing you name it. Or just rent a cabin in the woods and chill out.

Not sure about fishing if it involves a boat, preliminary drafts indicate steep fines and possible boat seizures if Marijuana is used in boat. 

 

 

This has been ill-thought through and poorly implemented, there will be huge growing pains, especially as despite federal rulings, the provinces have ultimate say. 

Edited October 18, 2018 by HooHaa

[Stargeezr]

Biggest US glitch is the Federally controlled border is a bit of a problem...

Geezer

[Nice Boyd]

2 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

Canada is known for growing the best pot . So tourism may go up too. Fly to Canada get stoned go skiing,or white water rafting or fishing you name it. Or just rent a cabin in the woods and chill out.

Mendocino in Northern California is Better

[Juan B Tong]

Canadian? Colorado? California? Ditch weed? Inside grow?

 

You can't convince me there is bad 'weed'.

 

Some is just better than others and usually, after a toke or two, it's the weed I'm smoking.

[losworld]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I am always fiercely proud to be Canadian, but today even more than most days.

 

Well done, eh!

 

 

 

yeah it should be legalized but hardly anything to beat one's chest over:)

[ReMarKable]

I wish I were Canadian.  For many reasons.

[whaleboneman]

You wouldn't know it had become legal today on my little island - it was just business as usual.

[khunken]

The Economist reported it correctly:

 

Canadian bakin’ Not with a bang, but with a bong

[metisdead]

A post using a flaming emoticon has been removed as well as a reply. 

 

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

[mikebike]

9 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Canadian weed is very good, but it doesnt quite match some strains sold in Alaska and Vegas.  I think Colorado and Washington and California weed is basically ditch weed.

You haven't had anywhere near to the best Canuck strains... hint: you need to know the grower personally.

Edited October 18, 2018 by mikebike

[mikebike]

8 hours ago, bendejo said:

Congrats Canada!  (or is it now Cannada?)

Federal law on legalizing it in US is nowhere in sight, but the states are handling it, and the selling point to the politicians is $$$ from taxing it.  On the other hand, there would be Federal tax if fully legal, and then we'd have an Elliot Ness -style task force busting people etc.

The entire west coast is legal.

 

At least we don't have to fear the revenge of Sessions... BTW - how's the capitalization banking going for US weed firms? Hahahahaa????????

[mikebike]

8 hours ago, HooHaa said:

Not sure about fishing if it involves a boat, preliminary drafts indicate steep fines and possible boat seizures if Marijuana is used in boat. 

 

 

This has been ill-thought through and poorly implemented, there will be huge growing pains, especially as despite federal rulings, the provinces have ultimate say. 

Darn... you mean the last 45 years spent fishing high in boats in Canada was an issue? Who'd have known? ????????

 

It has been well thought out. Anyone who was expecting better in the first implementation country-wide is a naive idiot.

 

BTW are you familiar with the conversation around and the implementation of the repeal of alcohol prohibition? ????????

[mikebike]

6 hours ago, losworld said:

yeah it should be legalized but hardly anything to beat one's chest over:)

Very much a chest beating moment... but Canucks are too polite!!

[HooHaa]

35 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Darn... you mean the last 45 years spent fishing high in boats in Canada was an issue? Who'd have known? ????????

 

It has been well thought out. Anyone who was expecting better in the first implementation country-wide is a naive idiot.

 

BTW are you familiar with the conversation around and the implementation of the repeal of alcohol prohibition? ????????

The last 45 years it wasn't an issue, if you can't see how leaving legislation to the whims of each individual provincal government won't be problematic I can't help you.

 

There is already some horrific legislation planned regarding where weed can be consumed or not and under what circumstances. 

 

 In some cases it seems Canadians had greater freedom with weed when police turned a blind eye. 

 

This is for all intents and purposes a money grab over defacto freedoms Canadians already had. 

 

Naive idiot huh, is it more meaningful for the redundancy? 

Edited October 18, 2018 by HooHaa

[mikebike]

45 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

The last 45 years it wasn't an issue, if you can't see how leaving legislation to the whims of each individual provincal government won't be problematic I can't help you.

Tell me how alcohol sales are regulated in Canada again... oh yeah... legislation is left to the whims of each individual provincial government. Duh. Problematic? NOT.

45 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

 

There is already some horrific legislation planned regarding where weed can be consumed or not and under what circumstances. 

 

 In some cases it seems Canadians had greater freedom with weed when police turned a blind eye. 

Yes. Again, only a naive idiot would expect a perfect rollout. I will give it 5 years to shake out.

 

45 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

This is for all intents and purposes a money grab over defacto freedoms Canadians already had. 

Nothing of the sort. It is an opportunity for Canadian industry to lead the world in an exiting and potentially humongous global market. Please outline what "freedoms" you consider lost.

45 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

Naive idiot huh, is it more meaningful for the redundancy? 

You think naive and idiot and synonymous. How cute.

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, mikebike said:

You haven't had anywhere near to the best Canuck strains... hint: you need to know the grower personally.

Hint: I know myself ????

 

The winters are long in Alaska. Not much to do, but.......

[Credo]

Well, that explains it.   

 

I have relatives that live in a gated community in AZ and about 20% of the houses are owned by Canadians who usually arrive for the winter around the 1st of Oct.   None of them have arrived yet.

 

Now I know what the delay is.  ????

[mommysboy]

On balance I think it is just about a smart move. It's probably better for people to get high on dope rather than booze, and better for killing pain than opiates.  Bit of a money spinner- at the grass roots too (sorry about that????.  UK should do it.  In the UK, it was decriminalised for a while but was not a success for a host of reasons.