The devil is in the details when it comes to the proposed framework for a legal marijuana market in Canada’s largest province. On Wednesday, the Ontario Liberal government introduced legislation that was very similar to the official announcement released on Sept. 8, with a few added components that will take effect in July.
First, police will be granted “interim closure authority” to shut down a retail operation if cannabis sales are suspected. Anyone found working in an unlicensed dispensary can be fined up to $250,000 and receive up to two years in prison. Further, the businesses will face penalties of up to $1 million.
If these businesses continue to operate, the penalties can escalate, with further daily fines of $100,000 to individuals and $500,000 to businesses.
The bill also puts significant restrictions on landlords who knowingly lease their property to unlicensed dispensaries. Property owners face fines of up to $250,000 and risk being imprisoned for up to two years.
“These shops, to the best of my knowledge, are illegal, have always been illegal, will continue to be illegal and are not contemplated as being part of the regime going forward,” said Attorney General Yasir Naqvi at Queen’s Park on Wednesday. Naqvi added that the rules “make it explicit that only [the] Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation could sell cannabis in the province of Ontario.”
Not surprisingly, advocates and activists for an open marijuana marketplace see this move as the continuation of prohibition, with the caveat that the government will be selling what was once unsellable under the law.
“I think it’s a horrific new war on cannabis that is going to hurt so many people,” said Jodie Emery in an interview with Marijuana.com. “Right now these governments are cracking down on dispensaries, when dispensaries of cannabis are the only proven way to reduce opioid deaths. This is not the legalization anybody had imagined.”
Jodie added that the Ontario government is confusing the service most dispensaries provide, which is access for medical patients, with their legislation for adult-use marijuana which is a completely different animal.
“The medical users and the people who are suffering in the opioid crisis, they are going to be hurt,” said Emery. “I strongly hope that the medical marijuana community in Canada will unite, protest, lobby or do whatever they can to stop this.”
The new rules for Ontario are a stark contrast to what will undoubtedly be proposed in British Columbia, where the regulation of private dispensaries is likely to continue.
“Ontario seems to have a nanny-state mentality,” said Emery. “Ontario’s government is full of corruption and cronyism. The Wynne Liberals are already worthless with respect to any integrity when it comes to governance, so it’s not really a surprise when you see the biggest province, with the biggest budget, and the biggest police forces wanting to keep cashing in.”
Along with introducing the official legislation, Ontario has already begun reaching out to local municipalities to determine where the government-run stores will be located. Ontario is planning to have 40 cannabis retail stores open by the summer of 2018, with an additional 50 opening the following year.
credit:marijuana.com
