Legislation introduced today for sale and distribution of marijuana

Ontario’s Liberal Government has introduced legislation today to regulate the sale and distribution of marijuana.
Pot will be sold in up to 150 stores and run by the Ontario Liquor Control Board, meaning the days are numbered for illegal dispensaries.

Ontario will take charge of all pot sales. Marijuana will be sold through a subsidiary of LCBO called the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, but the name could change when branding is officially rolled out.

The focus is eliminating the illegal market.

“We don’t know where their product is coming from, we don’t know what’s in their product. What we do know is that it is a $7 billion industry in Canada and a large chunk of that money is going to organized crime.” said Attorney General Nasir Naqvi.

But Mike Schreiner, the leader of the Green Party, believes that the Wynne government is focussed only on monopolizing marijuana.

“A big government monopoly is not going to stop the underground market or take unsafe marijuana off the streets. What we need is to support small business, local farmers and indigenous communities to sell licensed cannabis.”

But Premier Kathleen Wynne has insisted that this is not true.

“This actually isn’t about money from my perspective. It’s making sure a substance that needs to be regulated is regulated in a safe and responsible way.”

In terms of location for the first batch of pot shops, the province plans to meet with municipalities in the coming weeks to create a guildline for picking the perfect spot. The finance minister has said none will be near schools and the shops will offer more than marijuana.

At this point the store locations have not been chosen.

The liberals plan on rolling out 40 stores next year and 150 in total by 2020.

The drug will only be sold to people 19 and older and you won’t be allowed to light up in public spaces, in your car or workplace. You can only use pot at home.