POT LESSONS FROM COLORADO
A possible glimpse into city’s future
The first day recreational pot went legal in Colorado, those flocking for a taste of legitimate weed were literally chilling out, recalls Dan Rowland.
“It was freezing out Jan. 1, 2014. It was not the kind of day you wanted to be hanging around outside, but there were lineups,” said Rowland, who advised Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on how to roll out legal pot in the metro area of 2.7 million people.
“It was kind of crazy around here for a week, stores couldn’t keep product on the shelf.”
But Rowland said Calgarians feeling anxiety about bud suddenly going mainstream should figuratively chill out the way Denverites literally, then psychologically did after their dope D -Day nearly five years ago.
“Within six months, even people who are against legalization will say, ‘OK, I barely notice it.’ It barely changes your day-to-day experience,” said Rowland, who’s been advising Canadian government and cannabis retailers.
“Certainly, there’s a stigma, that’s a very common theme. There’s very much a fear of the unknown, but once there’s commerce taking place, people will realize pretty quickly it can be beneficial to the commercial sector.”
Part of that benefit will be seen in once-empty storefronts buzzing with activity and customer traffic that complements nearby businesses, he said.
Rowland said the need for regulators to keep closely abreast of the fledgling industry lasted longer than expected.
“The biggest thing was compliance ... we thought the whole thing would blow over quickly, but it still requires resources,” he said, pointing to a special mayor’s cannabis team that still exists in Denver.
Even so, he expressed confidence Alberta pot retailers will operate in a way that will reassure the community.
Unlike in B.C. and Ontario, where over-the-counter bud sales were allowed for dubiously medical applications, Alberta never experienced that, noted Rowland.
“(Alberta’s) required these players to really reach a high bar to even allow these businesses to operate and the majority will follow the law to every letter because they’ve been given an incredible opportunity they won’t do anything to jeopardize,” he said.
Many Calgary residents have expressed horror at the prospect of cannabis shops locating in their communities, with some predicting dangerous disruptions to their community.
“We don’t need cannabis stores in our community, drug use is disgusting and riddles the neighbourhood with crime and scum,” said one Royal Oak resident objecting to a pot shop proposed for his community.
Calgary and Alberta won’t likely experience an increase in underage cannabis use, something that hasn’t happened in Colorado, said Rowland.
But surveys in Colorado show adult use of the drug has increased by 29 per cent since legalization came into effect.
Fatal traffic collisions in which drivers were found to have marijuana’s active ingredient THC in their system have doubled since early 2014, but it’s not clear if those motorists were impaired.
As for cannabis purchasing, a wide variety of completely unfamiliar products will defy many traditional consumer trends, said April Pride, a cannabis entrepreneur who experienced legalization in Washington state.
“There’s going to be a lot of producers in the market, a lot of different brands available so there’ll be very little brand loyalty,” she said.
“People will be trying to do different things.”
Women, she said, are half as likely as men to consume cannabis and that’ll be apparent at the retail level.
“You won’t see a lot of women going into those stores,” she said.
There’ll also be less drinking in some demographics as people turn to cannabis instead and come to appreciate it, Pride said.
A darker side of Colorado’s move to legalization has seen the growth of black market grow operations that supply other states where the drug is still prohibited, acknowledged Rowland.
But the in-state black market has been progressively decimated by legal retail, he added.
“Ninety-five per cent of black market sales have been absorbed — it’s continued to progress to the point to common consumer behaviour,” he said.
“There’s too many reasons to go to the legal retailer.”