Legal Pot Stores and Sales.

It's been 3 yrs since the Liberals legalized pot, with the promise it would eliminate the Black Market and make our streets safer.

latest report: it has only captured 44%

Consumers can also purchase cannabis online directly from the Ontario Cannabis Store. The provincial agency said its online store and its retail partners sold $840.1 million worth of cannabis across Ontario last year and estimates it captured 44 per cent of the market – meaning the majority of pot purchased in the province still comes from the black market.

Interesting stats for Ottawa:

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Cannabis consumers purchased more than $13 million worth of legal pot in Ottawa from authorized retailers in the first quarter of the year, according to new figures from the province.

The snapshot of the local cannabis market provided by the Ontario Cannabis Store Thursday shows that while sales revenues have remained relatively constant over the past year, the number of brick-and-mortar stores operating in Ottawa has multiplied from seven in the first quarter of 2020 to 28 in the same period this year.

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By some experts’ calculations, if all of the pending stores in Ottawa do launch as planned, there will be twice as many cannabis retail stores in Ottawa as there are LCBO and The Beer Store outlets combined.

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I know here in Kempville with a population of around 2K there will be x5 pot stores opened by the end of the year...only x1 Beer and x1 LCBO outlet HaHa.

If sales have flatlined over the pandemic, I can't see them increasing much more after it's done and people go back to work.

The Bloomburg Financial Report on Pot sales: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/five-key...port-1.1624698

The Liberals failed to execute a plan that actually worked?

In other news, water is wet lol.

The streets have been anything but safer since one ridiculous policy after the other. I've seen these dispensaries popping up all over the place near the cottage. A few right on the main drag...no shame.

I'm sure there are a few people with medical conditions made better by weed (or it's non-psychoactive cousin CBD). But the vast majority of those that routinely smoke it are weak, lazy addicts in denial.

After the end of prohibition illegal alcohol production and sales continued for decades. Every town in that era had a "bootlegger." Therefore it's no surprise an illegal cannabis market exists in parallel to the legal system as does a market for illegal cigarettes.

Legalizing cannabis has however taken almost an $800 million dollar bite out of criminal enterprises as well as generated tax revenues and created legal employment. Similar to alcohol the illegal market can be expected to shrink over time which is where growth in the legal system will come from.

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

I'm sure there are a few people with medical conditions made better by weed (or it's psychoactive cousin CBD). But the vast majority of those that routinely smoke it are weak, lazy addicts in denial.

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I assume you do not drink ?

besides the tax grab, main point of this, was to eliminate the dealer / user interactions, specially in younger generations, and it has worked amazingly from what I see.

collage students no longer have to meet a shady dealer behind the corner, and get offered 17 other type A drugs, before being able to purchase weed.

with the prices coming down on government sites, they will capture older users as well soon.

Funniest part of it all was through the past year, you could goto a family gathering and smoke weed, and illegal part was gathering with family. lol

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Originally Posted by Ata83

besides the tax grab, main point of this, was to eliminate the dealer / user interactions, specially in younger generations, and it has worked amazingly from what I see.

collage students no longer have to meet a shady dealer behind the corner, and get offered 17 other type A drugs, before being able to purchase weed.

with the prices coming down on government sites, they will capture older users as well soon.

Funniest part of it all was through the past year, you could goto a family gathering and smoke weed, and illegal part was gathering with family. lol

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All reasons why the legal system will continue to grow while the illegal component withers.

The LCBO did not cut into the bootlegging market until it became a more consumer friendly operation that was competitively priced. In my earliest drinking days the LCBO was a dull place where you had to fill out a form, present it at a counter and your adult beverage was handed to you in a brown paper bag.

What I find funny is that to this day I cannot drink a beer in a park but smoking a joint is perfectly legal.

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Originally Posted by Ata83

I assume you do not drink ?

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There is a difference - I drink beer because I like the taste of it - nothing like having a nice cold glass of beer after working in the yard - I don't drink it to put my brain to sleep - like when you take dope -

I rather pick it from the garden. Much cheaper
Attachment 42001

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Originally Posted by JoePa

There is a difference - I drink beer because I like the taste of it - nothing like having a nice cold glass of beer after working in the yard - I don't drink it to put my brain to sleep - like when you take dope -

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I understand what you mean. I love my beer too, specially warmer days, under the sun on lake ... but 6 beers in and ill be side ways, ready to sleep.

same with dope. there are different types [think single malt vs beer for example] and amounts one can smoke, plus less hang over if u do go overboard.

both are not good. one can certainly drink and smoke their talents away as an old Philosopher sais. moderation I guess is the key, but they are not That much different other then one being newer in legal side.

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Originally Posted by JoePa

There is a difference - I drink beer because I like the taste of it - nothing like having a nice cold glass of beer after working in the yard - I don't drink it to put my brain to sleep - like when you take dope -

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I take mine before working in the yard. Doctors orders JoePa. It's kind of all day everyday life.

Attachment 42002

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

I'm sure there are a few people with medical conditions made better by weed (or it's psychoactive cousin CBD). But the vast majority of those that routinely smoke it are weak, lazy addicts in denial.

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I have to disagree. It can often have the complete opposite effects. A great motivation for those who can understand and reap the therapeutic benefits.

You don't compete in physically demanding competitive sports if your lazy...

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Originally Posted by Ata83

besides the tax grab, main point of this, was to eliminate the dealer / user interactions, specially in younger generations, and it has worked amazingly from what I see.

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I wouldn't go so far as to call it "amazing"....the 1st year legal sales only captured 20% of the market. It was during the pandemic it jumped to 40%. So more than 1/2 the buyers are still happy to go into dark alleys...:) (another myth by the fear mongers)

When it comes to weed smokers over the years, there has always been the debate about whether or not users are lazy or not.
I believe, and it is just my opinion, if the country was divided into 2 groups of 50% by the numbers and 1 half was deemed the lazy side and the other industrious, the side labeled lazy would probably have 80% of the pot smokers.
You would never convince me the hard workers would be the majority of dopers as I have been on and seen both sides of the equation.
There will always be exceptions but they will be the minority.
Bottom line, pot smokers may not be lazy, but many lazy people will be pot smokers.
John

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Originally Posted by JoePa

There is a difference - I drink beer because I like the taste of it - nothing like having a nice cold glass of beer after working in the yard - I don't drink it to put my brain to sleep - like when you take dope -

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LOL you should educate yourselves just a little. You know they're different types of weed right?

Sativa ?

Indica?

Another person commented people who smoke weed are weak lazy addicts? So I guess my father and some of my uncles who are probably better off than you are with a family, house, etc to his name are weak and lazy right? Get off your high horse.

You dont agree with something thats 1 thing. Don't go making stupid assumptions about things you know nothing about lol.

Weed has killed no one and actually has health benefits.

Can you say the same for booze?

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by johnjyb

When it comes to weed smokers over the years, there has always been the debate about whether or not users are lazy or not.
I believe, and it is just my opinion, if the country was divided into 2 groups of 50% by the numbers and 1 half was deemed the lazy side and the other industrious, the side labeled lazy would probably have 80% of the pot smokers.
You would never convince me the hard workers would be the majority of dopers as I have been on and seen both sides of the equation.
There will always be exceptions but they will be the minority.
Bottom line, pot smokers may not be lazy, but many lazy people will be pot smokers.
John

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What a load of crap. Lazy people are lazy people with or without pot. Laziness does not make a person smoke pot.

How about drinkers might not be lazy, but many lazy people will drink.

BTW you sure don't have to smoke to gain effects.
Cannabis is a prescription medication, alcohol not so much..lol

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Originally Posted by MikePal

I wouldn't go so far as to call it "amazing"....the 1st year legal sales only captured 20% of the market. It was during the pandemic it jumped to 40%. So more than 1/2 the buyers are still happy to go into dark alleys...:) (another myth by the fear mongers)

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From what I see, it has captured the part of customers that needed to contact shady characters ...
there are and have been alot of A le carte type dealers ... they wont loose their business, till pot stores become something like lcbo. but dont think they were ever the problem.

even today, there are liquor delivery services around still ... black market.

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

The Liberals failed to execute a plan that actually worked?

In other news, water is wet lol.

The streets have been anything but safer since one ridiculous policy after the other. I've seen these dispensaries popping up all over the place near the cottage. A few right on the main drag...no shame.

I'm sure there are a few people with medical conditions made better by weed (or it's psychoactive cousin CBD). But the vast majority of those that routinely smoke it are weak, lazy addicts in denial.

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It's THC that is psychoactive not CBD so that's wrong, as is your statement that only lazy addicts smoke it, many well off professionals smoke weed and so do cops. You did get one thing right though, water is wet.

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Originally Posted by JoePa

There is a difference - I drink beer because I like the taste of it - nothing like having a nice cold glass of beer after working in the yard - I don't drink it to put my brain to sleep - like when you take dope -

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You have no idea what you are talking about. The fastest woman in the world was just banned from the Olympics for smoking pot

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Originally Posted by smitty55

It's THC that is psychoactive not CBD so that's wrong, as is your statement that only lazy addicts smoke it, many well off professionals smoke weed and so do cops. You did get one thing right though, water is wet.

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+1. Declaring that "vast majority of those that routinely smoke (cannabis) are weak, lazy addicts" is as idiotic as saying the vast majority who routinely drink alcohol are weak, drunken rummies or the vast majority of gun owners are dangerous, wannabe killers. It's the type of language used by prohibitionists when they want to ban something.

Another good comparison example would be all black "assault" rifles kill people.

"It's the type of language used by prohibitionists when they want to ban something."

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Originally Posted by Ata83

I assume you do not drink ?

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I do not drink often, am not addicted, and I don't open a beer and pass it around to 6 different people to have a sip lol ;)

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Originally Posted by smitty55

It's THC that is psychoactive not CBD so that's wrong, as is your statement that only lazy addicts smoke it, many well off professionals smoke weed and so do cops. You did get one thing right though, water is wet.

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Correct -- I made a spelling error (should have wrote "non-psychoactive"). I have made the edit.

Referring to exceptions to a rule does not disprove the rule. There are many alcoholic cops, many sociopathic professionals, etc.
My point is that smoking anything is not good for you. It increases your risk of cancers and other respiratory complications. And that most (not all, never said all) people that smoke weed routinely are lazier and less motivated on average. It is a form of addiction and should be treated as such.

It has negative affects on your testosterone and sperm count/motility as well.

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Originally Posted by canadaman30

I have to disagree. It can often have the complete opposite effects. A great motivation for those who can understand and reap the therapeutic benefits.

You don't compete in physically demanding competitive sports if your lazy...

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I'm sure it can in a small # of cases, but that doesn't affect the majority of people who routinely smoke it being lazier than average.
Are you referring to yourself competing in sports or current pro athletes?

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Originally Posted by Badenoch

+1. Declaring that "vast majority of those that routinely smoke (cannabis) are weak, lazy addicts" is as idiotic as saying the vast majority who routinely drink alcohol are weak, drunken rummies or the vast majority of gun owners are dangerous, wannabe killers. It's the type of language used by prohibitionists when they want to ban something.

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Those are false equivalencies.

Would you say that the vast majority of people who don't wear seat belts on the highway are more reckless or irresponsible? The vast majority of those who end up in jail from assault are more violent? The majority of those with gambling problems more weak willed and impulsive?

The lazy pothead stereotype exists for a reason, and there is lots of data on the negative effects of smoking. We're not meant to fill our lungs with smoke...

You tend to make poor nutritional decisions when high (junk food 'munchies'), and just zone out and not really do anything. That could be the whole appeal to help someone relax occasionally, but its not a recipe for a healthy, productive existence when used daily for the majority of people. It zaps your motivation, erodes your short term memory, wreaks havoc on your testosterone levels and reproductive health, and often leads to other more serious drug use. And children are especially susceptible to it's adverse effects, as they are still developing mentally and physically.

The more you abuse something, the more it abuses you. I know guys who carry around huge bags of weed all the time because their tolerance is through the roof. They claim it helps them function but in reality it's just a crutch. Any drug is a form of escapism.

I did not say I want to ban weed.

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Originally Posted by smitty55

It's THC that is psychoactive not CBD so that's wrong, as is your statement that only lazy addicts smoke it, many well off professionals smoke weed and so do cops. You did get one thing right though, water is wet.

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I agree in that it was an eye opener for me to see how many people smoke it that I didn’t think would. I’ve never had much use for it but don’t judge those that do, I didn’t have strong feeling feelings either way about legalization.

Taking away a portion of the criminal activity was a good thing, although others have filled that role (we can’t talk about this because they’ve been oppressed with our tax dollars for centuries).

I also figured that our government found it convenient that a population who was more “mellowed out” would be more easily controlled and less likely to question authority. I believe this was a part of the game.

my god the stupidness that i just read LOL

brainwashed? i think so.

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

Those are false equivalencies.

Would you say that the vast majority of people who don't wear seat belts on the highway are more reckless or irresponsible? The vast majority of those who end up in jail from assault are more violent? The majority of those with gambling problems more weak willed and impulsive?

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Talk about false equivalencies. :rolleye:

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

The lazy pothead stereotype exists for a reason, and there is lots of data on the negative effects of smoking. We're not meant to fill our lungs with smoke...

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Same with the drunken rummie stereotype. There's lots of data on the negative effects of alcohol consumption too. Or the stereotype used by the gun banners that every gun owner is a psychopath just waiting for the opportunity and can point to individuals where that was the case.

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

The more you abuse something, the more it abuses you. I know guys who carry around huge bags of weed all the time because their tolerance is through the roof. They claim it helps them function but in reality it's just a crutch. Any drug is a form of escapism.

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There's a difference between use and abuse. I've seen guys who gather around the LCBO every morning before opening anxious to get their daily fix. I've known complete stoners who are constantly high. Simply because they exist does not mean the vast majority of consumers of either product can't responsibly manage their intake, enjoy the experience they bring and not destroy their lives. Similarly the vast majority of gun owners are responsible and use their firearms safely.

Are some people fkn bored or what??? Why on earth does someone decide to post something on a topic that they clearly don't have experience in? I feel like I'm reading a Dear Abby my Grandmother would've wrote in 1965......is it to stir the pot? Bored? Has to be one of those.....cause' the blanket statements regarding "majority" od people, a higher percentage of.......is just incorrect......sit down, finish your pudding, and don't miss your nap.........

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Originally Posted by Bushwhacker

I'm sure it can in a small # of cases, but that doesn't affect the majority of people who routinely smoke it being lazier than average.
Are you referring to yourself competing in sports or current pro athletes?

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Myself yes.
As well as many pro athletes who use cannabis.
Infused Olive and Coconut oils creates healthy form of consumption. Baked goods, or just added to main course meals works great. Longer lasting effects as well.