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Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

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Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#2
A step in the right direction, I guess. Ontario can be surprisingly conservative about these things... they only recently started allowing alcohol to be sold in grocery stores. Seems the initial round of legislation will legalize it, but with heavy restrictions.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#3
post #2

A step in the right direction, I guess. Ontario can be surprisingly conservative about these things... they only recently started allowing alcohol to be sold in grocery stores. Seems the initial round of legislation will legalize it, but with heavy restrictions.

I really wish they'd step back and let the free market handle it, instead of once again heavily restricting distribution and sales to another bloated government monopoly.

Plus, the number of stores at launch is way too low - people will simply continue to purchase higher quality weed for less money from private sellers. It's a bad move all around.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#6
Toronto is currently full of dispensaries on every corner. Some are open late and you're always close to one, independent local businesses with people in the community making money and spending it locally.

It will be sad to see a government monopoly turn weed distribution into the LCBO style. Expect prices to go up to $15-20g, cut down the number of locations and closes at 9pm.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#7
I live in Colorado.

I think they are really blowing it by making the stores government owned.

In Colorado, the stores are privately owned but very, very strictly regulated. Plants are tracked with an RFID all the way to the products derived from them, with a full chain of custody all the way to purchase.

Only adults 21 and up can enter them, with a strict dual-check of identification (once to enter, and again when paying the cashier).

The various shops actually end up being very different from each other in surprising ways. They all adhere to the regulations, but some are much larger and more corporate feeling, with lower prices, while others are boutique, specialize in higher quality product, and priced higher.

The pace with which new products can be introduced is much faster due to potential producers not having to negotiate with a giant bureaucracy to get a product on the shelves.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#8
post #2

A step in the right direction, I guess. Ontario can be surprisingly conservative about these things... they only recently started allowing alcohol to be sold in grocery stores. Seems the initial round of legislation will legalize it, but with heavy restrictions.

I really wish they'd step back and let the free market handle it, instead of once again heavily restricting distribution and sales to another bloated government monopoly. Plus, the number of stores at launch is way too low - people will simply continue to purchase higher quality weed for less money from private sellers. It's a bad move all around.

> instead of once again heavily restricting distribution and sales to another bloated government monopoly.

Yes, yes, yes. Why can't they regulate it like cigarettes?

The argument about keeping it out of the hands of minors is bullshit. It's already illegal to sell tobacco products to people under age in Ontario.

LCBO and the Beer Store are stupid ideas from a bygone era that need to end. Legal monopolies of provincial owned entities should not be permitted.

I'm not saying full privatization is the right answer, because I don't believe the free market solution is always best, but at least allow private competition to a crown corp. LCBO has no motivation to innovate because there is little/no competition.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#9
post #7

I live in Colorado. I think they are really blowing it by making the stores government owned. In Colorado, the stores are privately owned but very, very strictly regulated. Plants are tracked with an RFID all the way to the products derived from them, with a full chain of custody all the way to purchase. Only adults 21 and up can enter them, with a strict dual-check of identification (once to enter, and again when pa…

>I think they are really blowing it by making the stores government owned

Considering that you can only buy alcohol through government owned stores, at least it's consistent.

Re: Ontario unveils plan for government chain of marijuana stores

#10
post #7

I live in Colorado. I think they are really blowing it by making the stores government owned. In Colorado, the stores are privately owned but very, very strictly regulated. Plants are tracked with an RFID all the way to the products derived from them, with a full chain of custody all the way to purchase. Only adults 21 and up can enter them, with a strict dual-check of identification (once to enter, and again when pa…

> I think they are really blowing it by making the stores government owned.

Why?

The largest chain of BC liquor stores is government-owned and operated. They do a pretty decent job of it.

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