markTwo days until weed becomes legal in Canada, and somehow more legally encumbered than in its current illegal state. Former cops, drug-shaming politicians, and capitalists are all rushing to get rich on the plant that they used as an excuse to harass and imprison people of colour, while ensuring those same people are locked out of the newly-legal and lucrative industry. It’s the kind of shitshow I feared would emerge.
thanks to the magic of separation of powers, every province will have its own sales regime. originally, all of ontario’s sales would be handled through a state-run outlet with an online store and physical locations. the ford regime dumped the physical stores in favour of licencing private retailers, but the online store will still operate. The first text you encounter after submitting your totally-not-fake age is not particularly inviting.
the website for the province-run booze retailer, on the other hand, is far more consumption-friendly.
it’s worth noting that the LCBO was once far less inviting and comfortable, requiring customers to fill out forms, after which clerks would retrieve items from the back. the weird-ass privately-run beer oligopoly known as the beer store still does something similar.
they’ll make you feel bad about feeling good, but they’ll gladly take your money for it.
Sabo Borb@auditorydamage wait wait wait. Hold the phone. You have state run liquor stores?
@teslas_moustache the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, better known as the LCBO. There’s also the beer retailer known as The Beer Store, formerly Brewers’ Retail, operated by a consortium of beer manufacturers. For reasons that escape me, a private wine sales chain called the Wine Rack emerged in the past couple of decades.
The Wikipedia article on the Liquor Licence Act provides a decent synopsis of Ontario’s booze retail situation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquor_Licence_Act_%28Ontario%29