Canada now world's largest legal marijuana marketplace.

Rumors · #1 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 11:16 AM**

Canada now world's largest legal marijuana marketplace.
TORONTO — Ian Power was among the first to buy legal recreational marijuana in Canada but he has no plans to smoke it. He plans to frame it.
Canada became the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace as sales began early Wednesday in Newfoundland. Power was first in line at a store in St. John's, Newfoundland.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canna...cid=spartanntp

VANRIDERFAN · #2 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 12:17 PM**

Biggest non-event since Y2K.

Watching the CBC this past week you'd think Jesus was coming back to life again!
For a vast majority of Canadians this will have zero effect on their lives.

kwoldtimer · #3 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 12:28 PM**

Is there any chance that legalization could see Canadian banks running afoul of US law? As I understand it, that led to Uruguay needing to make all cannabis sales cash only, as Uruguayan banks could not do banking transactions with sellers. I'm thinking there must be some assurances somewhere, as I've not seen any comment on a potential problem.

suburbanite · #4 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 12:29 PM**

I wonder how many people truly didn't smoke because it was illegal. I can't imagine the official stores are capturing some massive outpouring of timid first-time buyers.

esquire · #5 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 12:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I wonder how many people truly didn't smoke because it was illegal. I can't imagine the official stores are capturing some massive outpouring of timid first-time buyers.

Maybe not today or tomorrow, but over time if it becomes normalized to a greater extent than it is now -- where it's sold as a regular shopping mall product like phones and sweaters -- I could imagine that happening.

But my thinking runs along the line of Van's... a bit of a non-event, really. The nonstop media coverage vastly exceeds my own personal level of interest in the subject. The Winnipeg Free Press, a paper whose newsroom is so gutted it can barely keep a handle on what's going on at the Legislature, has had a full time cannabis reporter on staff for the last year. Give me a break.

SignalHillHiker · #6 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 12:58 PM**

It was a celebratory, exciting atmosphere last night. Lots of cheering crowds, fireworks, car horns, and media such as BBC and NBC. Three of the cannabis retailers in St. John's opened at the stroke of midnight. Others throughout the city and province are opening at 9 a.m. or 4:20 p.m. today.

The merchandise is great.

I'm still waiting for a store, strain, or merchandise to reference 4:50 because that's still hilarious to me.

Media is on site at many of the retailers throughout St. John's this morning. Said there are small lineups, lots of seniors and adults, very few university-aged people in the crowds.

megadude · #7 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:10 PM**

When I was in Denver and Boulder (U of C) three years ago, I expected to see people smoking up everywhere like it was a cigarette. Didn't see a single one in three days. Though not like I was hanging out with the typical crowd of people who do smoke up.

Obviously, we had to visit a weed shop to satisfy our curiosity. There were two next door to each other. Also, behind us was a group of dudes from Minneapolis thinking the same thing. In 10 minutes in the store, that was it. Just us two and four guys from MN.

We smoked ours on hotel balcony and parking lot plaza over a couple of days. We still had some left over and illegally crossed state lines with it into UT, AZ and NM, where we finally finished it at White Sands National Monument with not a single other person in sight for a hundred miles each way. Just felt fitting that way. We forgot we had it and weed doesn't do much for us anyway so we didn't finish it till three states later.

Long story short, as you all might have guessed, not a big deal and the novelty will wear off.

CityTech · #8 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:30 PM**

Ontario's online seller, www.ocs.ca, is not having any network problems. Coasting by just fine. Shopify really was ready for this.

niwell · #9 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:40 PM**

I was actually surprised at how decent Ontario's website is in terms of selection. As a very occasional marijuana used I could see myself ordering from there. No different than ordering craft beer really, something I do fairly often.

FFX-ME · #10 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:46 PM**

California is still larger than Canada so no, Canada is not the largest legal marijuana marketplace. Country sure, but there are only 2 of those AFAIK.

FrankieFlowerpot · #11 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityTech

Ontario's online seller, www.ocs.ca, is not having any network problems. Coasting by just fine. Shopify really was ready for this.

They've taken 38,000 orders since midnight

TorontoDrew · #12 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:55 PM**

I find it ridiculous that in Ontario it's only legal to buy it online right now and our Premier DoFo says he will crack down on all private store across the province. What is even more ironic is that according to a Globe and Mail report several years back, DoFo was a small time dealer in his hood.

Just sad.......

Globe investigation: The Ford family’s history with drug dealing[/SIZE]

source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ticle12153014/

This investigative report reveals that:

Doug Ford, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s brother, sold hashish for several years in the 1980s.
Another brother, Randy, was also involved in the drug trade and was once charged in relation to a drug-related kidnapping.
Their sister, Kathy, has been the victim of drug-related gun violence.

And then here he was yesterday....

source: https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/89...-legalization/

“The illegal dispensaries that are open today, will remain illegal,” he said.

Ford said the province will continue to “crack down,” on illegal sellers with “tough new penalties.”

TorontoDrew · #13 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankieFlowerpot

They've taken 38,000 orders since midnight

So I just checked out the site, nothing stopping a minor from getting pot here, yet all of the stores DoFo wants shut down have the capability keep pot out of the hands of those under the age of 19.

SignalHillHiker · #14 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:08 PM**

Canada Post requires an adult to sign for it, I understand. You can buy it online here as well and that's how they described ours working.

They're likely going on strike Monday, though - so expect delays. A few of the smoke shops inside Dominion (Loblaws) supermarkets in St. John's are already out of cannabis. Some of the specialty stores are out of certain forms, particularly pre-rolled joints. I expect that's the way most people who aren't regular users would buy it.

Pavlov · #15 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

So I just checked out the site, nothing stopping a minor from getting pot here, yet all of the stores DoFo wants shut down have the capability keep pot out of the hands of those under the age of 19.

Purchasers are required to show identification proving age upon delivery (although the website does not appear to do a very good job of explaining that).

TorontoDrew · #16 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:22 PM**

Thanks for the info. It's still a shitty way to buy something if you have little experience with it. Personally I hate the smell and taste of pot but I would like to get some oil to vape or to make edibles. I suffer from occasional insomnia and pot helps me sleep. In a store I can ask about the products and get feedback and advice. The info on that site is of little use to me.

SignalHillHiker · #17 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:36 PM**

Yeah it must've sucked most of the joy out of the legalization moment to load a website instead of join the celebrating at a store - but it's temporary. An unnecessary delay of course, brought about by Ford himself, but there will be legal retail stores eventually.

I think at this point we probably have the most open? I think we're at 22 serving customers as of 4:20 p.m. today.

giallo · #18 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:44 PM**

I had no idea how different legalization is from province to province. I wonder how balanced the country will be in a year's time.

I'm very happy about legalization. It was long overdue. While I basically never smoke anymore unless I'm back in Vancouver, and watching a movie with my brother, I'll make a little purchase when I'm in Canada next year.

TorontoDrew · #19 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 3:49 PM**

I live a Keto lifestyle and I'm fighting the urge to make some brownies. If I can find a good low carb brownie recipe I think may need to get some oil.

J.OT13 · #20 Posted **Oct 17, 2018, 4:03 PM**

The previous government in Ontario (Liberal) was planning on opening provincially run storefronts, but DoFo killed it in favour of private retail shops that will be opening in April 2019. Personally, I think online sales is irresponsible. Sure Canada Post is supposed to have an adult sign, but many will fall through the cracks. If a store sells to minors, you can fine it or shut it down.