Sam Odrowski
Cannabis became legal across Canada on Oct. 17 and reaction has been mixed so far.
Here in Fort Frances, Rainy River Cannabis Collective owner Angela Olson said it’s a step in the right direction.
“Legalization is a positive step,” she remarked. “This is a product that a lot of people get a medical benefit from and a lot of people enjoy responsibly.
“Legalization is a good thing but what I worry about is the patients,” Olson added.
“My biggest concern is that the medical patients will be left in the dust.”
Primarily, Olson is worried there won’t be enough cannabis to supply both markets.
“I think that we should have spent more time making sure that the medical infrastructure was there and adequate before adding on that recreational component because my concern is that medical patients are going to suffer during the transition,” she noted.
Cannabis was legalized in Nevada on July 1 last year and less than two weeks later, the entire state was sold out.
“The governor of the state actually had to sign an emergency order to allow them to bring it in from other states so they could sell it in their stores and this is not unique,” Olson said.
“Every time marijuana goes recreational, that state or country or city runs out and that’s the concern.”
Olson sees these issues getting ironed out with time as the legal market becomes more established and enough licensed producers get on board.
“Over time we’ll add more producers, over time there will be more inventory, but it is really going to take a while,” she warned.
“It’s probably going to take at least two-three years before we see enough producers where we get a little bit of breathing room.”
To address the province’s supply needs, Rainy River Cannabis Collective will be building a 100,000 sq. ft. fully-licensed production facility in Thunder Bay, which is slated to create 500 jobs for that city.
Its grow site in Stratton also being expanded and expected to bring about 250 new jobs to the district.
Olson is hesitant to enter into the recreational market but said it is a requirement when growing pot.
“The government is requiring that anybody who is in the industry in Ontario has to set a percentage of their inventory aside for recreational, so it isn’t our choice,” she explained.
Olson also sees a bright future for the town if it takes advantage of the budding cannabis tourism industry.
“When the weather is nice, and when the fishing and hunting is on, I would say we probably get on average about five Americans a day wanting to purchase cannabis to enjoy on their holiday,” she revealed.
“If we can balance the community and do it responsibly and respectfully, I think that Fort Frances has an incredible opportunity for a boom in tourism and financial benefits.”
Olson also would like to see a vapour lounge pop up here or an area similar to a bar but instead of serving alcohol, they serve cannabis.
“Vapour lounges are the big thing right now,” she noted. “And those are restaurants and bars that allow the consumption of medicine, they have food and you have to be over 19 to enter.
“The Town of Fort Frances might want to think about if they want to make a space like that available for the community to enjoy responsibly so they have somewhere to go.”
Town bylaws around the issue still are being created, and more information around where cannabis can be used and whether a recreational dispensary will be allowed here has yet to be decided.
For legalization, Olson would have liked to see dispensaries open up in Ontario on Oct. 17 so those who purchase cannabis have a better understanding of what they’re buying.
“I would have rather liked to see stand-alone stores owned by individuals, not the government–places people can go in and speak to someone and have their questions answered,” she remarked.
“My big concern is that you’re going to see people that have never had cannabis before who may not know what they’re doing,” she reasoned.
“People who are less experienced might not get the level of service that they need to ensure they have a good experience.”
Recreational dispensaries in Ontario are expected to open by this April.
Meanwhile, the one thing Olson is urging cannabis users to avoid is driving after getting high.
“We’ve all been managing our cannabis consumption quite well and as long as you don’t do the one thing that you really aren’t allowed to do, which is get behind the wheel and drive high, then I think the town will be fine,” she said.
