Dispenser foresees growing demand for medical marijuana
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of stories focusing on people in Nova Scotia who will be delving into the marijuana industry.
Legalization of marijuana was a long time coming, but Carl Morgan believes the future is bright for selling the product in Nova Scotia.
Morgan is currently the owner of two medical marijuana dispensaries – Scotia Green Inc. on East River Road in New Glasgow and one on Spring Garden Road in Halifax.
While they’ve had some uphill battles, he believes the business will continue to grow into the New Year despite the fact the province has made the decision that recreational marijuana will be sold at Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation outlets. Morgan believes there will be some key differences that separate recreational and medical marijuana including price and ease of access.
The biggest difference he believes is the shopping experience.
“I don’t think our medical patients will go (to the NSLC locations),” he said.
At local dispensaries, he said the customers will know that staff are informed about the product, while those working at a liquor store might not be.
He said there can be differences in the quality of the marijuana as well with some marijuana having more medicinal properties.
Even if the province had decided to make legalized marijuana available at private businesses, which would have proved lucrative for people such as himself, he said he personally would have had them operate separately because of the differences.
Recreational should have a higher tax rate, he believes, but he thinks medicinal should be kept at a reasonable price and not taxed because it’s to be used for health purposes by people who might not be able to afford the higher prices. People can also purchase smaller quantities at a medicinal marijuana dispensary than they might be able to at a recreational vendor.
He’s confident that as the province makes decisions about what exactly is allowed to be sold where, there is a place for medicinal businesses like his.
“Every day we have three to four new patients,” he said, adding more are becoming educated about the benefits.
“I believe this is just the start,” he said. “I believe it’s going to be a huge industry for both medical and recreational.”