LCBO could sell marijuana: Wynne
Posted Dec 14, 2015 03:22:55 PM.
Last Updated Dec 15, 2015 07:41:03 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Your weekly book club meeting just got a lot more interesting: Premier Kathleen Wynne said Monday the LCBO could soon sell marijuana.
“It makes sense to me that the liquor distribution mechanism that we have in place, the LCBO, is very well-suited to putting in place the social responsibility aspects that would need to be in place” to sell medical marijuana, Wynne said at Queen’s Park.
“Obviously I don’t know what the timeline is with the federal government,” she added.
When asked, the LCBO also said it was up to the federal authorities to decriminalize recreational marijuana. After that, the LCBO would still wait for the province’s OK to proceed.
“Non-medicinal marijuana is not currently legally sold in Canada and it would be up to federal authorities to decriminalize recreational marijuana,” LCBO spokesperson Keeley Rogers said.
“Should that occur, LCBO would take direction from the provincial government as to any role for LCBO in the retailing of such.”
Wynne said Ontario would also look to other provinces. Recently, two British Columbia unions called for pot to be sold through the existing alcohol retail system.
At least one Ontario union also supports the idea. Last month, the head of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) said the LCBO could handle marijuana sales.
Warren ‘Smokey’ Thomas said store employees are already accustomed to asking for ID, not serving to those who are intoxicated, and other ‘social responsibility’ measures.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to legalize pot during his election campaign. During last month’s speech from the throne, Governor General David Johnston said Canada would work to “legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana.”
Wynne, who admits she smoked pot in the past but hasn’t touched the drug for 35 years, has expressed concerns about vaporizing medical marijuana.
The law that bans the use of e-cigarettes anywhere regular cigarettes are prohibited — and the new medical marijuana exemption — is set to come into effect Jan. 1.
Wynne said she would have a problem with someone ‘vaping’ medical marijuana next to her in a movie theatre, and said the government would be going “back to the drawing board.”
With files from The Canadian Press
