Good turnout on Day 1, says store manager
Yarmouth had 80 people line up for opening of cannabis shop, compared to one of the larger outlets in Halifax that saw 200
Close to 80 people lined up outside the Yarmouth NSLC at 10 a.m. on Oct. 17, waiting for the Cannabis Shop to open for the first time.
The historic event took place at similar venues across Canada, as the nation became the second nation in the world and the first G7 country to legalize sales of the drug.
Yarmouth NSLC manager Mike Wilson says he was very pleased with the turnout.
“One of the larger outlets in Halifax had 200 standing in the lineup. For a small town like Yarmouth, this is great. Good support,” he said.
Customers must be 19 or older to shop in the cannabis section of the NSLC and photo ID is required. Loose flower and pre-rolls as well as oils and gel caps will be sold in the shop.
Jason McCaw was one of the first people in Yarmouth to legally buy recreational marijuana.
“I got two grams of the strongest stuff they have,” he says.
He thought the price was reasonable.
“I smoke daily, so I’ll definitely be here for more than special occasions,” he said
In terms of pricing, cannabis will follow the same pricing strategy, structure and principles that the NSLC uses to manage all beverage alcohol categories. There will be three categories of cannabis pricing – value, core and premium.
At present, one gram of flower is priced $6.33 - $8.49 for value cannabis, $9 - $10.98 for core cannabis and $10.99 and up for premium cannabis.
The NSLC currently has 97 products representing 52 strains in inventory. Based on estimated sales projections, it expected to have a three-week supply of inventory on hand opening week. The supply challenges are being experienced nationwide.
Dave DiPersio, NSLC’s senior vice-president and chief services officer, says suppliers are working hard to get the product labelled and shipped. “We will process inventory receipts as quickly as possible, so product is available for our customers,” he said.
Cannabis is also available online (https://www.mynslc.com ) and at 11 other NSLC stores across the province.
Product is delivered in a Canada Post envelope for a flat rate of $7, but customers must visit an NSLC store first to obtain a code. Upon delivery, ID must be presented to show you are 19 or over. No more than 30 grams can be purchased at any one time.