Features

On again, off again in Ontario

Published on April 9, 2020 by David Wylie

Cannabis has had an on-again, off-again relationship in Ontario.

Canada’s most populous province initially showed its progressive side, declaring brick-and-mortar legal retail stores essential.

Then Ontario backtracked and closed them, giving an online monopoly to the Ontario Cannabis Store.

Most recently, it’s changed its mind again, allowing brick and mortar to reopen. 

Is your head spinning, too?

The decision to open legal shops is to curtail the illicit market.

It’s in a limited capacity, which comes with benefits customers have been asking for — click to reserve and delivery options.

The order has been instituted for two weeks, but could be extended.

A similar click and pick-up system is also available in BC, but there is no door-to-door delivery option. Instead, the BC Cannabis Store has knocked $2 off its shipping fee because you have to pick up your order at the local post office.

Herb vs. alcohol

Every so often the differences between cannabis and alcohol becomes pronounced.

While smoking the marijuana has been blamed for everything from imbuing laziness to insanity causing murder, booze’s darker side is being highlighted through the pandemic.

Liquor stores are staying open as essential because in extreme cases of alcoholism, the lack of drink could be deadly.

Quitting cold turkey could mean death.

Meanwhile, cannabis has been declared essential federally because it’s medicinal. And recreational cannabis because legal pot is good for the economy and bad for crime.