Pot shops uneasy as legalization takes hold
Storefront pot vendors in Hamilton met the first day of legal weed in Canada under a cloud of uncertainty.
Rogue pot shops that have mushroomed across the city face more serious consequences amid the emerging regulated environment.
This wasn’t far from Steven Burkholder’s mind as he greeted customers Wednesday at Spliffs on Site SOS, a small dispensary on King Street East.
“Now that it’s legal, is it going to be riskier or not?”
Burkholder said SOS has built a steady client base in the Delta neighbourhood since April.
“I’m hoping for the best because I do like my job,” said the 49-year-old employee.
The spectre of stiffer penalties — up to three years in prison and a $5-million fine — is sobering.
For now, the provincial government is only allowing cannabis sales online through its fledgling Ontario Cannabis Store.
Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives plan to open the market to physical stores in April 2019.
The Ontario Attorney General’s office has warned those selling weed illegally after Oct. 17 will be barred from obtaining a retail operator’s licence.
Larger outlets like Georgia Peach and MMJ Canada remained
open Wednesday but either declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests, as did many smaller vendors.
This past summer, the city noted 80 dispensaries were operating in Hamilton.
On Wednesday, licensing director Ken Leendertse said current zoning charges will be followed through in court but there will be no further investigations.
However, dispensaries will not be allowed to sell food products
without food shop licences.
“As for the closing or enforcement of dispensaries operating outside of the provincial regulations, that will be for the (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) and police to enforce,” Leendertse said.
The promise of resurfacing legally and fear of stiff penalties have convinced some Hamilton pot dispensaries to close for now.
“The fines that they’re proposing, that would be devastating,”
said Paula, a member of the collective that operates Natural Green Healing downtown.
The small King Street East locale has sold cannabis to medical users for four years, said Paula, who didn’t want her last name used.
Most clients are seniors with physical and mental illnesses who reside at a nearby affordable housing building, she said.
“We promised our patients that we’re not going to leave them out in the cold,” Paula said, noting her older and fragile clients won’t buy online.
Some observers have speculated the licensed retail landscape will be dominated by larger corporate players who will crowd the independents out.
On Ottawa Street North, James Lloyd said he hopes the smaller dispensaries survive.
“I’d like to see them stick around, the mom-and-pop shops.”
Lloyd has operated Where Heads Meet since 2009, selling bongs, rolling papers, art, music and clothing — but not pot.
Dispensaries buy his products: Scales, smell-proof baggies and even a jumbo cone to pack footlong reefers.
“It’s already rolled, which makes it a lot easier,” said Lloyd, wearing a Hamilton “High-Cats” T-shirt.
Despite the hype, he’s not expecting a major influx in the toking populace.
“Ten years from now, there will be change. There will be people brought up with less stigma.”
But he’s still holding a celebration Saturday in the shop’s back parking lot.
There will be free food, a band, glass-blowing demonstrations and a bong raffle. “We’ll be smoking pot.”