By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
As cannabis legalization spreads to an increasing number of locations around the world, there are different methods in which the laws are implemented at various stages. In California, recreational cannabis was approved by voters in 2016, but depending on where you go, some cities might only permit deliveries, and others have banned retail sales of marijuana altogether until they can decide what they want to do.
But in the fresh landscape of Canada’s impending legal cannabis market, Ontario is taking a different approach to adult-use sales. In a press conference on August 13, Finance Minister Vic Fedeli and Attorney Caroline Mulroney announced that the government would be introducing an online market for marijuana purchases provided by the Ontario Cannabis Store.
“The Government of Ontario will not be in the business of running physical cannabis stores,” said Fedeli in a news release. “Instead, we will work with private sector businesses to build a safe, reliable retail system that will divert sales away from the illegal market.”
While the primary focus for sales will be directed at online avenues in Ontario, retail stores will be allowed to open on April 1. Physical cannabis shops will be subject to tighter regulations.
As announced in February, Ontario will be using Shopify Inc.’s e-commerce platform for all transactions and will utilize a cloud-based model that allows for seamless market integration across in-store, mobile, desktop, and other online platforms.
A verification measures will be implemented as part of the online system to help ensure a safe home-delivery system for retail cannabis. Once online sales commence for adults over the age of nineteen in October, the government will begin the review process to select candidates for retail sales in 2019.
