General Canada's House of Commons votes to legalize marijuana

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BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
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I dont think it was the driver who got the ticket, I think it was the passenger.
You could be correct. So allow me to rephrase. It took and hour for some loser to break a law. I'm not quite sure how the loser driver would have been able to escape charges though. Makes you wonder about the application of the law.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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Cannabis retailers warn of lingering supply shortage
Demand for newly legal pot appears to be outstripping supply as retailers run low on some products or are cleaned out completely amid a shortfall that could last for months.
"Every province -- not just Manitoba -- is receiving substantially less cannabis than originally requested... Retailers in Manitoba will be receiving staggered shipments over the next few weeks (some daily) in an effort to meet their requests," said a spokeswoman for the Manitoba crown corporation in an email.

A B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch spokeswoman said that "shortages are/were expected to impact all jurisdictions across Canada as some (licensed producers) look to opportunities in overseas markets."
 

Super Dave

The party’s over
Dec 28, 2015
11,295
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Winnipeg police issue their first cannabis ticket Wednesday

Police tweeted a photo of a $672 ticket for consuming cannabis in a motor vehicle, saying that the infraction occurred early Wednesday morning.

The $672 fine is one of many penalties Manitobans could face for disregarding the province’s new pot laws.

Fines are as low as $237 for transporting improperly stored cannabis, and as high as $2,542 for supplying cannabis to someone under 19.

 

Freeloading Rusty

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Jan 11, 2016
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How much weed was sold on Canada’s legalization day, province-by-province
Here is a breakdown of the cannabis sales by province (Manitoba, Ontario and Newfoundland did not get back to Global News at the time of publication).

British Columbia
Nearly 10,000 cannabis sales were made in British Columbia on Wednesday.

According to the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, a total of 9,980 orders were placed — 9,175 of which were online sales. Around 800 sales were made at the only government-run store open on Day 1. It’s in Kamloops.

The government did not provide the total sales, but the cheapest weed you can buy in the province is a pre-roll for $4.20. So if the baseline is set at the minimum price, B.C. made around $41,000 in sales that day.

Alberta

Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis said it made nearly $730,000 in sales that day. As of 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the province recorded around 8,300 sales.

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority said it does not track cannabis sales as private retailers sell recreational marijuana and the product comes from federally licensed producers or private wholesalers.

READ MORE: Sask. cannabis prices among the highest in the country

Quebec
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) said there were 42,000 cannabis orders processed on the first day of legalization, with 12,500 in-store transactions and 30,000 online orders.

“This volume of orders far exceeds the SQDC’s expectations, but also demonstrates the robustness of the company’s systems,” the SQDC said in a statement.

Quebec has previously said products would be priced at a minimum of $5.25 a gram, taxes included, meaning if every customer limited themselves to one gram of the cheapest product, the province would have pulled in $220,500 in sales.

Nova Scotia

It was a big day for Nova Scotia. The province made 12,180 cannabis transactions on the first day of legalization.

Beverley Ware, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation said the transactions totalled “just over $660,000 in sales” and that almost $47,000 of those sales were online.

New Brunswick
Cannabis NB said it’s choosing not to release its cannabis sales.

“We want to take the extra time to do a manual analysis of our foot traffic, sales, and inventory to ensure that they are all function as prescribe,” a spokesperson told Global News.

READ MORE: Where can I buy pot? A coast-to-coast guide for marijuana legalization day

P.E.I.
P.E.I. Cannabis said it made a total of $152,408 in sales after tax on Wednesday. Online sales accounted for $20,974 and stores brought in around $131,434.

 

Freeloading Rusty

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Jan 11, 2016
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Licensed cannabis growers have ties to organized crime, Enquête investigation finds
An investor in a major Canadian cannabis company has had longstanding ties, including business dealings, with influential Mafia members and drug traffickers, Radio-Canada has learned.

Another investor in the same company has links with a prominent member of the Rizzutos, the powerful Montreal crime family.

In still another case, an individual managed to sell his cannabis business to one of the big players in the industry, despite his connections to drug traffickers. In return, he received shares in the company and rented out space for a cannabis grow-op.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's legalization plan was supposed to cut out organized crime, but an investigation by Radio-Canada's Enquête shows Health Canada has granted production licences to companies with individuals with links to the criminal underworld.

Enquête examined hundreds of documents as part of its investigation, including reviews conducted by Canadian securities oversight bodies. Enquête is not naming the companies or individuals involved.


For its part, Health Canada says it has not seen any cases of organized crime infiltration of more than 130 licensed cannabis producers since 2013.

To produce cannabis, those who hold certain positions in companies must first obtain a permit from Health Canada by taking a security screening.

Any past connections with individuals related to organized crime are part of the analyzed information.

Red flags raised
To secure a licence, Health Canada first checks if the individual has a criminal record.

Second, the RCMP consults police databases to review information that may indicate an applicant's links to criminals.

Health Canada makes its final decision with the information provided by the RCMP.

The RCMP says it raised red flags on about 10 per cent of the applicants it was asked to check out in 2016 and 2017.

"It's really criminal associations," says Supt. Yves Goupil, who gives the example of a person "associated with individuals who have criminal records."

In a statement, Health Canada said it can "categorically confirm" that it didn't issue "security clearance to an individual when the RCMP provided evidence to the department that it was associated with organized crime."

"Health Canada has found no evidence that organized crime has infiltrated one of more than 130 federally registered producers," spokesperson Eric Morrissette said in an email.

Security checks only scratch the surface
Throughout the period in which Canada's cannabis industry was developing, primarily for medical purposes, only individuals who directly ran the companies were required to obtain a security clearance.

This approach, says Conservative Senator Claude Carignan, demonstrates a naiveté about the workings of high-level organized crime.

"If there is someone who has a criminal record, it is not that person they will put to apply for the licence," Carignan said. "It would be completely naive to think that."

Last spring, Carignan and his Senate colleagues tried, unsuccessfully, to amend Bill C-45 on the legalization of cannabis in order to demand more transparency from companies entering the industry.

Several companies have opaque and complex structures.

"You never see who the real licence holders are," said lawyer and tax expert Marwah Rizqy, who raised the issue before a Senate committee last spring and has since been elected Liberal MNA for the Quebec riding of Saint-Laurent.

The black hole of trusts
It's not uncommon for cannabis companies to be funded through family trusts.

Originally designed for estate and tax planning, trusts are an ideal way to hide individuals with interests in a business, said Marie-Pierre Allard, who studies tax policy at the Université de Sherbrooke.

"The beneficiaries of the trust are not disclosed publicly. It's anonymous," she said, adding that it is "one of the great vulnerabilities of the Canadian legal system."

"If we want to eliminate the Mafia cannabis market, we cannot allow them to use tax havens or trusts to enter indirectly through the back door," Carignan said.

A report by the federal Department of Finance and several international organizations identifies trusts as one of the vehicles most at risk for money-laundering in Canada.

In a Senate appearance last April, Rizqy suggested refusing to grant production licences to companies financed through trusts.

"Maybe it would be wise to deny the licence outright because you are not able to unequivocally establish that the security clearance is really valid," said Rizqy.

The recommendation was not accepted. The federal cannabis legislation adopted this summer, however, did include more extensive background checks into individuals who back cannabis companies.

Too many requirements for the cannabis industry?
Carignan has faced criticism for his efforts to make cannabis companies more transparent.

Line Beauchesne, a criminologist at the University of Ottawa, believes Health Canada's investigations are adequate and consistent with the government's desire to ensure the quality of the product and to prevent smuggling.

"Why especially for the cannabis industry?" Beauchesne asked.

If there were to be new rules of transparency, "all industries moving into Canada" should be affected, she said.

She acknowledged, however, that Health Canada "is absolutely not equipped to conduct financial investigations."

Its traditional role is to ensure a product meets certain standards.

"Health Canada's job is to make sure that when I eat cheese, it's cheese. When it's eggs, it's eggs. And when [it comes to] cannabis, it's cannabis."

The limits of police investigations
The number of audits to be conducted in the cannabis industry is so great investigators have to make choices, said the RCMP's Goupil.

The work of police is complicated considerably when the sources of financing for businesses come from abroad, including from tax havens.

"Technically, there is nothing illegal there. But it's hard for [the RCMP] and for Health Canada to go out and check in those countries," he said.

"Often, it's going to be the janitor who will sign the company documents or a law firm in country X. At some point, we cannot do the research. It's a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money," Goupil said.

"We can not have a fully bulletproof system. If organized crime has an opportunity to make a profit, it will exploit it. "

Tax havens are not the only barrier to police work. Secrecy also exists in some companies in Canada.

"We need to use other more advanced techniques such as physical surveillance and wiretapping that will help us identify who is behind the company and who operates it," he said.

These survey techniques, however, require considerable resources and can not be deployed for all cannabis companies.

"We cannot afford it."
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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What a joke.

I used to buy my grass from a store who employed staff and paid taxes... now I am seeking out a black market dealer.

These prices are fucking ridiculous. Include in 10% taxes and a $8 shipping fee an 1/8th comes out to over $50.

Way to push even more money back into the black market there Canadian Liberals.




They have to be fucking nuts if they think I will pay that when I am used to paying a max of $50 per quarter oz / 150 per oz.



 
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BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
60,547
56,268
What a joke.

I used to buy my grass from a store who employed staff and paid taxes... now I am seeking out a black market dealer.

These prices are fucking ridiculous. Include in 10% taxes and a $8 shipping fee an 1/8th comes out to over $50.

Way to push even more money back into the black market there Canadian Liberals.




They have to be fucking nuts if they think I will pay that when I am used to paying a max of $50 per quarter oz / 150 per oz.



That's your provincial government, not the federal. Ontario weed is generally running about half that.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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That's your provincial government, not the federal. Ontario weed is generally running about half that.



Still bullshit and not half the price. No shipping fee.. is that correct or does it just get added on after the fact?

I haven't paid $45 for an 8th of grass since I was a teenager.
 

BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
60,547
56,268
I was looking at the cheaper stuff on the page when I made that comment. That's still 2/3's the price. Better write your MPP and see what the fuck they're doing.

I believe it's a $5 flat fee from the OCS site.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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I was looking at the cheaper stuff on the page when I made that comment. That's still 2/3's the price. Better write your MPP and see what the fuck they're doing.

I believe it's a $5 flat fee from the OCS site.
I based both comparisons on the top shelf stuff.

And we all know, BC has a far superior product to Onterrible.

Either way, prices are similar when you add in a shipping fee.. give or take a toonie or two.

Life is to short to smoke bottom shelf shit.
 

BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
60,547
56,268
I based both comparisons on the top shelf stuff.

And we all know, BC has a far superior product to Onterrible.

Either way, prices are similar when you add in a shipping fee.. give or take a toonie or two.

Life is to short to smoke bottom shelf shit.
I'll take your word for it, CBD oil is the only thing I'd have any interest in, but not surprisingly the website is less than informative and it appears all of the oils also have THC in them.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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I'll take your word for it, CBD oil is the only thing I'd have any interest in, but not surprisingly the website is less than informative and it appears all of the oils also have THC in them.
It is a shame what is being offered.

I agree, it is a joke. My previous store used to carry the Charlottes Web strain that was full CBD, plus oils, drops, body products, pills, edibles, flower, vapes that were all cbd. Now the selection is limited and tainted to those who wish not to ingest THC. Interesting enough, the higher the CBD content, the less the THC content will have psychoactive properties. So if you get a 20%/3% the buzz will be very minimal. With that said, if you want straight CBD, you should be able to access straight CBD. They do have a few on the BC site with less than %1 THC.. you just are paying triple the price you are if you bought it off 'my buddy'.

When I was in the UK you could buy 100% CBD drops in a drug store yet marijuana was still illegal. Much different from the drops we get here though, our are very oil based (clear, pressed concentrates), in the UK it was very plant based (dark green, thick, plant based).

If you haven't indulged in CBD yet, do so. Dont be worried if it is THC-less as you cant over indulge in CBD. It will relax you, reduce inflammation and reduce anxiety. Sounds too good to be true but if you can find a non THC strain, that is exactly what you will get.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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Buying grass on the black market?!?


As expected, Ted Williams' head @Ted Williams' head cant participate in a respectful discussion. No one felt the need to act cute until you showed up.

Yes, the black market, welcome to reality. If you can buy a product on the black market at half the price you can from the store, most people are going to continue to do what they have been doing for the last 100 years... buying grass off the black market. No taxes being paid, organized crime profiting. Good job Canadian Liberals.
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
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Some days you can't win.

We now have the ability to buy marihuana legally in Canada and use it recreationally.

The stuff you buy is quality stuff, despite what people would have you believe. The people making it are scientists and biologists etc. It's in a controlled environment. You don't have to worry about what is in it.

There is a vast variety that you can buy and they will send it right to your house and you can buy this in many ways and pay for it in various methods.

To top that off, if you don't like it, you can grow up to four plants on your own of your choosing and style in your own house.

Yet people still complain?

Look. I'm no fan of the liberal party. I think they're idiots for the most part. But to think think that this won't hurt the black market is silly.
 

Freeloading Rusty

Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
Jan 11, 2016
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Look. I'm no fan of the liberal party. I think they're idiots for the most part. But to think think that this won't hurt the black market is silly.
I am sure it will put a dent in the black market, no doubt.

But I dont think it will eliminate the black market, not even close. When the govt product is being sold at 2-3 times the cost of buying it privately, illegal product wont be going anywhere.
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
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I am sure it will put a dent in the black market, no doubt.

But I dont think it will eliminate the black market, not even close. When the govt product is being sold at 2-3 times the cost of buying it privately, illegal product wont be going anywhere.
I don't think the black market will ever be eliminated but cost won't be as much of a factor as people think. Despite being more expensive, people will still buy it.

The black market will always exist for any and every thing to some degree.

The fact you can buy it freely really hurts the black market but the ability to grow at home puts some serious nails in the coffin.
 
M

member 1013

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I only buy black market alcohol, tobacco and weed. I’m a rebel like that. I have a leather jacket.
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
4,123
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I only buy black market alcohol, tobacco and weed. I’m a rebel like that. I have a leather jacket.
As ironic as it sounds the black market for tobacco is probably now going to be the biggest of them.

With the legalization of marihuana and the ability to grow it at home, tobacco remains the one thing it's hard to make and use for yourself. Alcohol is an example of where I think weed will go. If it was easier to make alcohol people would do so. As it is, people buy it anyway despite high prices.

What I am hoping is that the new industry that comes with this means new jobs and income in both private income and taxes. As well I am hoping to see less issues in court, jail, and LEO interaction.

But time will tell.
 

DiSmAnTLeR

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2016
906
890
Some days you can't win.

We now have the ability to buy marihuana legally in Canada and use it recreationally.

The stuff you buy is quality stuff, despite what people would have you believe. The people making it are scientists and biologists etc. It's in a controlled environment. You don't have to worry about what is in it.

There is a vast variety that you can buy and they will send it right to your house and you can buy this in many ways and pay for it in various methods.

To top that off, if you don't like it, you can grow up to four plants on your own of your choosing and style in your own house.

Yet people still complain?

Look. I'm no fan of the liberal party. I think they're idiots for the most part. But to think think that this won't hurt the black market is silly.
Show me somewhere that is selling tax stamped seeds. To the best of my knowledge, no one is offering them yet.
 

DiSmAnTLeR

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2016
906
890



I participated in the installation of duct lines and plenums in some of these “controlled environments”. We were under a tight timeline and late before we started. I explained how that because we were cutting takeoff holes with a grinder, metal shavings were being deposited all over inside the plenums and they would need to be cleaned out before the units were up and running. No one cared.
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
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Show me somewhere that is selling tax stamped seeds. To the best of my knowledge, no one is offering them yet.
Edibles are not available yet either. It's not all rolled out yet. I'm not sure what you are getting at.