Marijuana Will be Sold Online When Legalized

Published August 14, 2018 at 5:55 pm

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If you’ve been following the big news that marijuana will soon be legal in Canada, you might be interested to know that the substance will indeed be available via online shopping as soon as this fall.

Cannabis is going to be legal across the country as of October 17, 2018.

And the province has announced its plans on how it’ll manage cannabis retail.

“We will be ready to put in place a safe, legal system for cannabis retail that will protect consumers,” said  Attorney General Caroline Mulroney in a recent statement from the province.

“We will also be ready to undermine the illegal market and protect Ontario’s roads.  Most importantly of all, we will be ready to protect our kids.”

“Throughout this process we have held fast to some non-negotiable principles:  Public safety is paramount,” said Fedeli. “We will make sure our youth are safe; our roads are safe and that we work with our municipalities to ensure our neighbourhoods are safe.”

It’s true that following federal legalization, the province will introduce an online retail channel for cannabis, to be followed by a private retail model by April 1, 2019.

As for how sales will roll out, starting on October 17, consumers 19 and older will be able to buy marijuana online via the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS).

“The OCS online channel will include a verification system that will ensure safe at home delivery for cannabis products, thereby meeting the federally imposed obligation that provinces be ready for retail sales for the start of legalization,” reads the statement.

The province is also planning a consultation process with municipalities, Indigenous communities, law enforcement, public health advocates, businesses and consumer groups and representatives of the other provinces with private retail for a “tightly regulated” private retail model that will launch in April 2019.

The goal?

To ensure retail stays safe and ultimately eliminate illegal sales, according to the province.

“The Government of Ontario will not be in the business of running physical cannabis stores,” said Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli.

“Instead, we will work with private sector businesses to build a safe, reliable retail system that will divert sales away from the illegal market.”

For private retailers, there will, of course, be a set of rules to follow. They won’t, for instance, be able to sell cannabis to anyone under the age of 1.

“Ontario will begin to consult on a number of rules all retailers will be mandated to follow including set hours of operation and staff training,” reads the statement.

“Federal law lays out numerous other retail requirements, including restricted advertising, that products are not visible to children, and that all sales must be made over the counter.”

There’s also going to be a zero-tolerance policy – complete with “severely escalating fines” – for anyone who doesn’t abide by the rules.

New road safety laws are also in the works with some serious penalties for anyone driving under the influence of cannabis adn other drugs.

You might be wondering how you’ll know where to find quality products.

According to the province, there will be an Official Ontario Cannabis Retailer Seal to help identify legitimate retailers with quality assured products.

“The government will provide municipalities with a one-time window under which they can choose to opt-out of permitting physical cannabis retail stores within their boundaries,” reads the statement.

“The provincial government will provide $40 million to municipalities over two years to help local governments keep their communities safe.”

You might also want to keep in mind that once it’s legal, you can only use recreational cannabis in a private residence, including the outdoor space of a home. Recreational cannabis use will not be allowed in any public spaces, workplaces or motorized vehicles, says the province.

What do you think of the plan?

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