Canada’s legal pot is going well • Hacker News Board

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#11

Post by DKnoll » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 6:42 AM UTC

eljimmy wrote: post #5

DKnoll wrote: post #2

This doesn't echo public sentiment at all. Many are critical of the way implementation has happened, whether for or against (at least in Ontario, the most populous province and the one I base everything that follows on). Those who are 'for' are upset about the supply issues that have occurred with the legal supply being limited (long delays), more expensive and often poor quality (moldy). Those who are indifferent ar…

I don’t really have any complaints about how they implemented it here in Ontario. It’s far better than what the previous government had planned. Granted, I don’t smoke that often - but I’ve been to one of the stores and ordered from OCS online and have nothing negative to say. Maybe I just had low expectations?

Public perception may start to change now that retail has opened up (of the 'pro' people at least) but I have heard a lot of complaints. Even OCS has acknowledged massive supply issues following the rollout (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/canada-is-running-out-of-l...).

Where those who oppose or are on the fence form a majority (or at least a vocal one) municipalities have banned stores for now. I expect once the province smartens up and gives municipalities the ability to control proximity to schools, parks, churches and other places the law expects children to congregate (or gives up some of that sweet tax money) the people who are on the fence will lighten up.

The Chinese community in the GTA is a great advocate, and cause, of municipalities banning stores. They form a large and vocal bloc and for whatever reason seem to view cannabis as a hard drug and oppose any form of decriminalisation or legalisation.

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#12

Post by wolco » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 6:44 AM UTC

sintaxi wrote: post #3

No it isn't. Weed went from a thriving grey market to a black market. What changed is the government is now acting as a cartel for a very small number of companies who are allowed to sell legally. The legal companies are not meeting demand in any way comparable to pre-legalization. Prior to legalization we had a thriving free market the government wasn't getting a cut so there was no incentive for the laws on the boo…

The alleyway deals are probably easier but less common. It is risky to open a storefront but always was.

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#13

Post by DKnoll » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 6:52 AM UTC

rocky1138 wrote: post #7

DKnoll wrote: post #2

This doesn't echo public sentiment at all. Many are critical of the way implementation has happened, whether for or against (at least in Ontario, the most populous province and the one I base everything that follows on). Those who are 'for' are upset about the supply issues that have occurred with the legal supply being limited (long delays), more expensive and often poor quality (moldy). Those who are indifferent ar…

I suspect this is some form of reverse survivor bias: the people who are happy with the service (like me) are not out on the streets cheering. It's fantastic, it's just not something that we talk about due to the stigma. I smoked exceedingly rarely before legalization (3 times in my entire life) and now I smoke often. I'm happy to pay the paltry prices for the amount of enjoyment I get from it, and I know that the we…

> I smoked exceedingly rarely before legalization (3 times in my entire life) and now I smoke often.

You are the boogeyman to the people who oppose legalisation. One of the rare people who didn't smoke simply to obey the law and are now getting stoned because it's legal. :P

I think the people who rarely smoked are the most happy, because they are not worried about a minor price increase but also appreciate the convenience and legal acceptance.

I am personally happy with legalisation and, as someone who no longer smokes but realises the relative lack of harm from consuming cannabis (especially as compared to alcohol), think it is the morally right thing to do.

Despite my own beliefs, public opposition to the rollout is still significant and definitely worth mentioning especially in a Reuters article that will be propagated everywhere.

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#14

Post by sintaxi » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 6:54 AM UTC

wolco wrote: post #12

sintaxi wrote: post #3

No it isn't. Weed went from a thriving grey market to a black market. What changed is the government is now acting as a cartel for a very small number of companies who are allowed to sell legally. The legal companies are not meeting demand in any way comparable to pre-legalization. Prior to legalization we had a thriving free market the government wasn't getting a cut so there was no incentive for the laws on the boo…

The alleyway deals are probably easier but less common. It is risky to open a storefront but always was.

Listen to what I'm saying.

The entire province of BC had just one single cannabis storefront on day of legalization - despite hundreds of storefronts applying for permits. So customers went from buying weed in storefronts to having to do alleyway deals because of legalization.

https://vancouversun.com/cannabis/cannabis-news/partaking-so...

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#15

Post by DanBC » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 6:57 AM UTC

DKnoll wrote: post #13

rocky1138 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect this is some form of reverse survivor bias: the people who are happy with the service (like me) are not out on the streets cheering. It's fantastic, it's just not something that we talk about due to the stigma. I smoked exceedingly rarely before legalization (3 times in my entire life) and now I smoke often. I'm happy to pay the paltry prices for the amount of enjoyment I get from it, and I know that the we…

> I smoked exceedingly rarely before legalization (3 times in my entire life) and now I smoke often. You are the boogeyman to the people who oppose legalisation. One of the rare people who didn't smoke simply to obey the law and are now getting stoned because it's legal. :P I think the people who rarely smoked are the most happy, because they are not worried about a minor price increase but also appreciate the conven…

> One of the rare people

We have no idea of the prevalance of this kind of person. There's no research.

(I am in favour of legalisation.)

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#16

Post by DKnoll » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 7:09 AM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #15

DKnoll wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I smoked exceedingly rarely before legalization (3 times in my entire life) and now I smoke often. You are the boogeyman to the people who oppose legalisation. One of the rare people who didn't smoke simply to obey the law and are now getting stoned because it's legal. :P I think the people who rarely smoked are the most happy, because they are not worried about a minor price increase but also appreciate the conven…

> One of the rare people We have no idea of the prevalance of this kind of person. There's no research. (I am in favour of legalisation.)

It's honestly hard to believe there were people who didn't smoke simply because it was illegal, even though getting charged for personal amounts of cannabis in the GTA was about as common as being struck by lightning.

That said I applaud them. That's a very respectable level of restraint and community-mindedness (I swear that's a word).

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#17

Post by v_lisivka » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 7:20 AM UTC

gnulinux wrote: post #9

Legal pot is not going good anywhere around the world except very few places like Colorado. This is because politicians insist on not paying attention to scientific studies and keep doing irrational things. Look at Massachusetts, one of the first states to legalize cannabis, still handful of legal shops, only 1 in Boston area. What changed is now a few mega corps (US) or the government (Canada) are your drug dealers,…

This shit is known for thousands years. We have enough experience with it to judge.

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#18

Post by sjwright » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 7:22 AM UTC

DKnoll wrote: post #16

DanBC wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the rare people We have no idea of the prevalance of this kind of person. There's no research. (I am in favour of legalisation.)

It's honestly hard to believe there were people who didn't smoke simply because it was illegal, even though getting charged for personal amounts of cannabis in the GTA was about as common as being struck by lightning. That said I applaud them. That's a very respectable level of restraint and community-mindedness (I swear that's a word).

The statistical reality isn’t operational for many people. Many people would not want to even begin to look for an underground supplier let alone deal with one.

(I am in favour of legalisation.)

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#19

Post by slavik81 » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 7:38 AM UTC

DKnoll wrote: post #2

This doesn't echo public sentiment at all. Many are critical of the way implementation has happened, whether for or against (at least in Ontario, the most populous province and the one I base everything that follows on). Those who are 'for' are upset about the supply issues that have occurred with the legal supply being limited (long delays), more expensive and often poor quality (moldy). Those who are indifferent ar…

The Ontario provincial government is a walking disaster, and their implementation of marijuana legalization is just a reflection of that. The rollout went smoothly in other provinces.

Re: Canada’s legal pot is going well

#20

Post by DKnoll » Sat, Apr 13, 2019, 7:52 AM UTC

sjwright wrote: post #18

DKnoll wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's honestly hard to believe there were people who didn't smoke simply because it was illegal, even though getting charged for personal amounts of cannabis in the GTA was about as common as being struck by lightning. That said I applaud them. That's a very respectable level of restraint and community-mindedness (I swear that's a word).

The statistical reality isn’t operational for many people. Many people would not want to even begin to look for an underground supplier let alone deal with one. (I am in favour of legalisation.)

I see you appreciate the weasel word 'many' as much as I do. It's very handy to avoid having to cite every statement (lol).

You're totally right that those people exist and there are 'many' of them. I'm going off conversations that have occurred and caused certain cities, especially in the Peel and Halton regions, to ban stores.

Honestly the real number of people who feel a type of way about legalisation doesn't even matter that much, especially when decisions like this are up to already elected representatives and not handled by referendum. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and this is a fundamental issue with the implementation of democracy in the west. For issues that most people don't consider a hill to die on (or, at least, both sides) elected representatives don't end up voting in line with actual public opinion. A prime example of this fact is that legalization only happened in 2018 and not 20 years earlier.