Opening day on its way
NSLC cautioning new cannabis users to take it ‘low and slow’ as Oct. 17 marijuana legalization date nears
Cape Breton’s new cannabis store is not what you might expect — in fact, it could be described as the platypus of retail outlets.
First of all, it’s a store within a store. And to access its premises, customers must make their way through the aisles of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation’s Sydney River location to a back corner where the cannabis trade will be carried out behind the frosted glass and ceramic walls that separate it from the shelves of alcohol.
If not for the large overhead CANNABIS sign, the entrance could easily be mistaken for that of an airport washroom, with customers entering to the left of the wall and exiting from the right. The interior resembles that of a generic post office with an expansive wall of product dispensers situated behind a long sales counter. The three-sectioned containers are empty now but are expected to be filled with cannabis (marijuana) products when the store officially opens on Oct. 17, the day the longoutlawed drug becomes legal in Canada.
The retail space is bright — very bright — with neon lights accentuating its mostly white interior. Tall business-like tables, like those found in the public areas of financial institutions, display electronic tablets that link directly to the NSLC website. Stanchions support nylon belts that guide customers through a corral-like maze as they wait for their turn at the sales counter.
On Tuesday, NSLC spokesperson Beverley Ware conducted a tour of the new cannabis dispensary for members of the local news media. She said that while the cannabis shop may be at the back of the NSLC store, it’s not meant to be hidden and was designed with the customer experience in mind.
“It’s bright, it’s open and it’s inviting, and we really hope our customers will have a positive experience while they are here, and they enjoy that experience,” said Ware, who added that the intent was to maintain NSLC’s corporate look and feel.
Upon entering the store, customers will be greeted by an NSLC concierge, who will consult with them on their experience with cannabis.
“Experienced users will know what they want, but we’ll also have customers who are new to cannabis and they’re probably not sure what they’re looking for because they don’t have that experience, so we can chat with them and then help them decide what might be good for them in terms of THC and CBD levels,” explained Ware.
Once customers get to the sales counter, their order is taken, and staff retrieve the product from one of the many containers. The purchase comes pre-packaged and is placed in a sealed NSLC bag to prevent the wafting of the more odorous strains.
According to Ware, the Crown corporation considers education, about both cannabis and alcohol, to be a primary component of its service. And, that message cannot be ignored as it can be found hanging on the walls in poster form, on placards in the lineup area atop the stanchions, on the customer tables, on a series of monitors mounted high on the wall behind the sales counter, and in pamphlets that are put in NSLC bags along with the purchased product.
Ware also said customers will constantly be reminded of some basic health and safety practices.
“The product has to be stored securely and kept out of the reach of minors — we’re also telling people not to co-consume cannabis and beverage alcohol and, for new users, we recommend that you go low and slow, start with low THC levels until you have the experience of knowing how your body will react,” she said.
The cannabis itself is to be sold in five formats: Pre-packaged dried flowers; pre-rolled; seeds; oil; and gel caps. And, it will be available in three price ranges – value, core, and premium. And, the weed is categorized into four groups – Relax, Unwind, Centre, and Enhance.
“The intent here is that some of the products are higher in THC level, while other products focus on the CBD level – we’ve divided them into categories to give some general
idea as to whether they will have more effect on the mind or have more of an effect on the body,” said Ware, who added that THC levels will range from about two per cent to a maximum of 24 per cent.
While it’s been speculated that the marijuana will be sold at between $8 to $14 per gram (HST included), she said official pricing won’t be revealed until the province’s 12 cannabis stores are ready
to open. Until then, she said the NSLC will continue to monitor both the illegal cannabis market and the prices that will be charged in other jurisdictions.
About 200 NSLC employees have completed, or are almost finished, an intensive five-day course in preparation of working in the new shop. At the Sydney River store, there are 11 staffers who have received the training, although all NSLC employees will, at some point, be trained to work both the alcohol and the marijuana sections of the retail outlets.
For those planning to check out the cannabis store when it opens, the NSLC is advising customers to be patient as it expects to be busy during its first few months.
“There might be some lineups because this is a new product category for many customers and it’s going to take some time to make their purchases,” said Ware.
The stores will not sell edibles for at least a year, but it will offer a small array of paraphernalia such as rolling papers, glass pipes, bud grinders, storage containers and vaporizers. And, the NSLC will also offer online shopping with home delivery.
The NSLC estimates it will sell up to 15,500 kilograms of cannabis in its first year.