if a convenience store can be trusted by the government to sell porn and cigarettes then why does the LCBO have to control cannabis distribution?
the independent "mom & pop" dispensary model is the best possible outcome. You can have veteran MMAR growers supplying to dispensaries. This also leaves open the possibility that any other horticultural enthusiasts who can potentially grow a fine vegetable can dabble in the pot market. I know, as a veteran and current MMPR patient, that the best buds win, so to speak. Some LP's grow some shameful flower. Some, like Tilray, cultivate museum pieces... but cost over slightly over $16/g after HST and shipping is factored in. On the other hand, dispensaries are able to acquire equally exceptional bud from smaller independent growers who don't have the quite the same kind of overhead and need for high profit margins as the multi-million dollar licensed producers. This means dispensaries can offer VERY fine flower for $9-$10. I buy whatever is best from wherever provides the best. It really is that simple.
And from a greedy entrepeneurial standpoint, if youre not altruistic or enthusiastic about cannabis culture but want to make money, you can grow and sell cannabis. Why not? If you grow it very well, it could cost as little as $1 per gram. Sold at $9/gram that's a 900% markup.
As long as there's a protocol or set of standards that dispensaries can abide by, such as random inspections (not unlike a restaurant), age restrictions, etc etc, then there should be absolutely NO issues. In fact, the CAMCD (canadian association for medical cannabis dispensaries) is JUST that. CALM (cannabis as living medicine) is both a founding member of the CAMCD as well as a large dispensary right here in Toronto. The best dispensaries are using the guidelines set out by the CAMCD, including virtually all the credible and legitimate dispensaries that have proliferated in Vancouver over the years. I'm sure Kathleen Wynn is very much informed about all this.
If a gas station employee can be trusted to card anyone who looks under 30 (0r whatever the stipulation is) then why can't independent dispensaries do the same?
the LCBO should be reserved for toxic and lethal substances like alcohol. Cannabis is, after all, a vegetable. And furthermore, never before in history has more money been senselessly invested in finding evidence to suggest a vegetable was dangerous only to find the exact opposite. It's a medicine...
