100% ^^^
Currently the only "legal" method of obtaining medical weed is by mail.
Truth. I know you meant it, but I'll add, "under supervision of your physician."
...Not someone trained as a physician that you had a 5 minute conversation with over Skype. I know this is a generalization - but the common way to obtain a license for access to any of the shops in TO that require more than ID seems to be this method, over the past 3 years.
The Marc Emery-aligned shops, and most that I hear being busted of late just require ID, no "medical license" needed.
A friend worked in a shop that got raided a while back, and he said employees are pretty traumatized by it all, but the product that is seized is a drop in the bucket as shops rarely keep on-hand what they can't afford to lose. The exception here is whatever they lose from the fridge.
We can speculate all we want on the design of the Ontario policy when it comes to POS, but I hear nothing credible worth really discussing, yet. Whether it be available at the LCBO, through pharmacies or through regulated storefronts will be telling, regardless of the government in-charge at the time of implementation.
I think you're right about "hoping to be grandfathered in." As it stands now, they are a good real-world test-bed for this option. You obviously hear more complaints than praise in the media because of the nature of the business at-present, but I understand these shops are attracting a criminal element (lots of product that is easy to sell and almost always cash on-hand - who wants to let your bank know where you shop, if the shop accepts plastic at all).
At this point I'm just as interested to see where legalized ganj will be sold, as I am with what it will cost. And through this, I'm even more interested in how the black market will adapt to these changes.
A $15/gram system (some speculate "higher") would be a good reason to continue seeking black market options, in-particular if criminal charges for this activity are similar to acquiring black market liquor or cigarettes.
This fact seems to be lost on a lot of people.But I guess addicts are to fucked up to understand that.
It's "too fucked up"
Also,