LCBO - Legalized Cannabis Board Ontario

[Big Guy]

Since it looks like legalized marijuana is a done deal the quetsion of controls and distribution now comes into play:

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/selling-pot-through-lcbo-would-make-sense-wynne-1.2699796

"Marijuana must be a controlled substance, and no one has more experience retailing controlled substances than the workers at the LCBO," said OPSEU president Smokey Thomas. "There needs to be a strong regulatory framework in place, including minimum age limits, a ban on marketing, and a plan to prevent cannabis-impaired driving."

I have two views on this issue. There is a lot of money and profit at stake here. Capitalism should allow private enterprise to take advantage of another business opportunity.

On the other hand, the LCBO already has a distribution system, carding and a way to control the quality of the product.

My only concern is the way that the LCBO organization has in the past abused their monopoly and exerting too much influence and control.

Is using the LCBO stores and existing distribution network with a monopoly of marijuana sales in Ontario a good idea or a bad idea?

[-1=e^ipi]

The existence of the LCBO is a bad idea.

[eyeball]

Is using the LCBO stores and existing distribution network with a monopoly of marijuana sales in Ontario a good idea or a bad idea?

It sends the message that the government thinks getting stoned is really no big deal.

So yes I think it's a good idea just for that reason alone, at least until the usual suspect dinosaurs finally get the message or die of old age.

[capricorn]

With pot being legalized, there would be no reason to stop buying your stash from local street vendors. They would tap into an increased web of pot growers so therefore would be able to undercut LCBO prices. You know, no union dues to pay and very low overhead costs.

[BubberMiley]

It sends the message that the government thinks getting stoned is really no big deal.

i.e., the truth?

[Derek 2.0]

With pot being legalized, there would be no reason to stop buying your stash from local street vendors. They would tap into an increased web of pot growers so therefore would be able to undercut LCBO prices. You know, no union dues to pay and very low overhead costs.

I've wondered about that to, if there is already a "tax free distribution network", that I assume works, why would most choose to forgo this and pay taxes on it in Government stores?

[On Guard for Thee]

I've wondered about that to, if there is already a "tax free distribution network", that I assume works, why would most choose to forgo this and pay taxes on it in Government stores?

Washington state raked in 70 million from mj tax with about half the population of Ontario. So sorry folks, that argument holds no water.

[BubberMiley]

I've wondered about that to, if there is already a "tax free distribution network", that I assume works, why would most choose to forgo this and pay taxes on it in Government stores?

Why would you buy beer from the vendor and not the guy selling it from his truck downtown?

[Big Guy]

Colorado has about 5.4 million in pop, Ontario has 14 million. Colorado picked up $75 million in taxes from Marijuana sales last year. I have no idea how much the federal government got. If you pro-rate that tax income to Ontario then we could be looking at $200 million a year. That ain't peanuts!

The other advantage is guaranteeing quality and identification of the drug.

It will be interesting to see how much the federal government will want as a tax on that new legal drug.

[Derek 2.0]

Why would you buy beer from the vendor and not the guy selling it from his truck downtown?

I don't, but then AFAIK, there isn't an established network of beer dealers downtown.

[On Guard for Thee]

I don't, but then AFAIK, there isn't an established network of beer dealers downtown.

Just like there won't be any pot dealers downtown when you can pick up your stash the same time you grab a case of beer. Simple

[eyeball]

i.e., the truth?

The fact.

[Wilber]

It makes sense to sell it in liquor stores, be they government or private.

[eyeball]

Substance Stores would be more to the point, truth be told.

[Boges]

This is why holding up states that have legalized MJ in the US as an example is a fallacy. Ontario will never allow a system where people can just sell weed as they please like in Colorado. It'll be heavily taxed and regulated. The hours will also probably be inconvenient.

[Black Dog]

I've wondered about that to, if there is already a "tax free distribution network", that I assume works, why would most choose to forgo this and pay taxes on it in Government stores?

Why did people stop buying from bootleggers when Prohibition ended?

[Black Dog]

This is why holding up states that have legalized MJ in the US as an example is a fallacy. Ontario will never allow a system where people can just sell weed as they please like in Colorado. It'll be heavily taxed and regulated. The hours will also probably be inconvenient.

Colorado's system is also highly taxed and regulated, with vendors requiring licenses to sell weed and tax revenue from sales flowing into government coffers. What are you talking about?

[Boges]

Colorado's system is also highly taxed and regulated, with vendors requiring licenses to sell weed and tax revenue from sales flowing into government coffers. What are you talking about?

There's no government monopolized distributor though.

video link

Wouldn't it be awesome if private retailers could just get licenses to sell alcohol in Ontario?

Edited December 15, 2015 by Michael Hardner
added video link

[Black Dog]

There's no government monopolized distributor though.

Well you could have said that in the first place.

Wouldn't it be awesome if private retailers could just get licenses to sell alcohol in Ontario?

Sure. I think we can also agree that a flawed system of legal distribution and sales is better than the current one.

[eyeball]

Wouldn't it be awesome if private retailers could just get licenses to sell alcohol in Ontario?

Until the licensing system started to resemble the mess that licensing taxis has become and it would.

[Boges]

Until the licensing system started to resemble the mess that licensing taxis has become and it would.

Then Uber would just sell us the illicit controlled substance then right?

[eyeball]

Bikers more likely.

[overthere]

I just don't understand why people have no faith in our govt being able to efficiently operate a system to grow, distribute and sell weed at a price and quality cheaper than the very large existing network of private growers already serving this market. What could possibly go wrong?

Unless Trudeau and his crew are utter fools, they will restrict themselves to just removing weed from the Criminal Code. Then they'll turn the whole sorry reeking mess over to the provinces to manage so they can stagger into chaos. If the provinces take the route of trying to run it as a business, its a win(fed) - lose(provinces) affair. And I think that is what will happen.

The provinces will have to find some way of making a legal product controlled and subject to heavy fines and prosecution. They'll need staff and cops to find and somehow identify the wildcat weed that will undercut their market relentlessly. There is little money to be made, and much political capital to be lost. People who smoke weed have been buying/using it illegally for years, and are entirely confortable with that. Legalizing won't change any of that, especially if the 'legal' brands are more expensive. It is untaxed and has no layers of bureaucracy now, how will they compete when those factors are added in? I expect Trudeau knows this, and has told his man Blair to get him out of this mess pronto.

Another election promise met!

[Boges]

I just don't understand why people have no faith in our govt being able to efficiently operate a system to grow, distribute and sell weed at a price and quality cheaper than the very large existing network of private growers already serving this market. What could possibly go wrong?

Unless Trudeau and his crew are utter fools, they will restrict themselves to just removing weed from the Criminal Code. Then they'll turn the whole sorry reeking mess over to the provinces to manage so they can stagger into chaos. If the provinces take the route of trying to run it as a business, its a win(fed) - lose(provinces) affair. And I think that is what will happen.

The provinces will have to find some way of making a legal product controlled and subject to heavy fines and prosecution. They'll need staff and cops to find and somehow identify the wildcat weed that will undercut their market relentlessly. There is little money to be made, and much political capital to be lost. People who smoke weed have been buying/using it illegally for years, and are entirely confortable with that. Legalizing won't change any of that, especially if the 'legal' brands are more expensive. It is untaxed and has no layers of bureaucracy now, how will they compete when those factors are added in? I expect Trudeau knows this, and has told his man Blair to get him out of this mess pronto.

Another election promise met!

That's pretty much what I've been saying but some here think the ease of going to existing liquor stores run by the government or another new model at an increased price will put everyone producing pot now out of business. People are willing to break the law when it's a criminal offense but once it's just a ticketable offense people will willingly pay their taxes in droves.

Ontario has already said they won't market legal pot like they do alcohol. Wanna bet that changes when the people who already smoke pot don't change their buying behaviour. They'll need new customers. Consuming in a socially responsible manner of course. LOL

[eyeball]

Consuming in a manner that respects and conforms with the paranoid authority of the state you mean. If pot is more expensive and of lousier quality people will just keep doing the same thing they've been doing all their lives. Roll their eyes and roll their black market pot in Nanny's tickets when they run out of papers.

They better get it right because I understand there's a whole pharmacopia of substances coming down the slope after pot.

I think they've put it off 40 years too late myself.