Cannabis in BC - can you say schmaaaaaazle? I knew you could.

[agoodwinsmith]

So - a month to go until recreational cannabis is legal in BC.

But lo:
https://vancouversun.com/cannabis/cannabis-news/partaking-some-time-b-c-to-get-just-a-single-cannabis-store-on-day-one-of-legalization

One store, in aaaaaaaalll of BC (BC is huge, folks), will be approved to sell legal recreational cannabis in BC by 17 October 2018.

However, our mighty public forces are absolutely ready to charge in and raid all the "dispensaries" that have been operating up 'til now, and charge them with the new legislation. The new legislation is what it has all really been about. New powers to grind down and stamp out the independent operators, so that the field can be cleared for the big companies.

I am so angry about this revolting chicanery.

Comments

[ex_inklessej388]

The framework in BC, as the article mentions, places a lot of power in the hands of local municipalities regarding the regulation of the shops. I know in Victoria our city council already has a host of by-laws that are being enforced. While I imagine in jurisdictions that haven't decided on a policy yet (you should check where you live and what the status is there) there would indeed be a blowback come legalization day, but I can't see that happening in Victoria. With the federal law changed and by-laws in place, a local shop conforming to the rules in place would be in superior position against the government if they showed up and impacted business. Don't get me wrong, there are shops doing things wrong and not following the by-laws, and that will be targeted as an example no doubt, but beyond that for the guys who are working within the bounds as they exist and are working with the government I don't think much will change. That's just my two cents.

[agoodwinsmith]

As you may recall, I have been checking my municipal gov't for information about licencing a recreational marijuana store (https://agoodwinsmith.dreamwidth.org/195237.html) and there was zilch info then, and (just checked again) there is still zilch.

According to this:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/business/liquor-regulation-licensing/cannabis-regulation
people must be approved provincially before they can approach their municipality. According to the article, regardless of whether or not there are bazillions of applications in progress, or one or twenty, or whatever, there has only been one approved so far.

According to this:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/liquor-regulation-licensing/guides-and-manuals/cannabis-retail-store-licence-handbook.pdf
one of the regulations is "A licensee must post their non-medical cannabis retail licence in a prominent location in the sales area of their store."
So absolutely every store in BC, except the one in Kamloops, will already be in violation of the regulations.

And on page 12 it says "A licensee must purchase their non-
medical cannabis supply directly from the Liquor Distribution
Branch. They are not permitted to purchase any cannabis products directly from a federally licenced producer, other licenced retail store, or any other source."

Since the LDB has not yet started selling product, that means the cannabis in all the dispensaries in BC are from non-LDB sources - again already in violation of new legislation.

I don't know what will happen in Victoria, but I have seen some officious individual on local news huffing about dispensaries currently in operation having to decide whether or not they wish to continue operating outside of legislation. No one is smoothing the way for dispensaries already in operation, and in fact one municipality's reaction was to recind the business licences that had already been granted - no grandfathering, no amnesty while people get their provincial applications in order, nothing.

And it's all very well to say that people desiring a licence should have had their act together sooner, but the information has not been available (I've been watching) - the bloody forms are practically still wet from the printers.