Marijuana legalization is just around the corner for Canadian’s with a date of October 17 set for when you’ll legally be able to buy it.
Each province has come up with its own plan for how to distribute cannabis but Ontario’s are about to change.
Under the previous provincial government, pot was going to be sold through LCBO style stores, but new Premier Doug Ford is now changing that.
@fordnationdougfordembedded via
Ford is expected to announce early next week that he’s getting rid of the government monopoly on cannabis stores and replacing them with private businesses.
The provincial government would still control the overall distribution of the product to the stores and manage online sales reportedly.
@babes.and.budsNo exact details of the plan have yet been released but it’s expected that it will be very similar to the one set up for Alberta, where stores will be allowed to sell marijuana after being given licences by the liquor commission of the province.
Ford said when campaigning that if elected he would look at whether or not to change the rules around the way cannabis was sold in the province.
The previous government said that 40 stores under the name the Ontario Cannabis Store would open this year and chose locations for some of them. It is unclear what will happen with the OCS now.
@ontariocannabisstoresembedded via
Opening up cannabis sales to private business could potentially allow more stores to begin operating this year.
A spokesman for the Ontario Ministry of Finance said province will be ready by the time marijuana is legal in October despite the sudden change.
Source: Global