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Ontarians voice concerns over new marijuana regulation plan

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Accessibility concerns and the impact on small businesses present themselves as obstacles within the new regulation proposal

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Ashley Meehan

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On September 8th, 2017, the government of Ontario released its newly outlined regulation plan for legalized cannabis, leaving some citizens concerned about accessibility and the future of small businesses.

The legalization of marijuana is a federal government decision, but provincial governments will decide how to control the substance within their regions. Ontario is the first province to release a detailed plan.

This proposed plan specifies the legal purchasing age of 19, as well as the areas where cannabis can be consumed, and details the process of shutting down local dispensaries. The Ontario government plans to sell cannabis through stores run by the LCBO, and aims to have 40 stores open by summer 2018, including an online store.

Some Ontarians have expressed concern about not only the degradation of marijuana quality, but also the harmful effects this plan will have on local businesses. Easton Sierra, a concerned student who uses marijuana for medical purposes, says: “Based on the plan, I will probably still buy illegally; I’d rather support a single person making a living than funding an industry that’s going to negatively impact the small businesses that have been actively fighting for weed legalization for years.”

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Photo | Hana Nikčević

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Many users have commented on how the illegal market will thrive under this plan, citing the closing of dispensaries and the small number of legal stores as potentially discouraging to users from buying legally.

For Dave, a medical marijuana user, accessibility is the main concern. He believes that “no one is going to give up a good, convenient, local drug dealer to buy from the government.”

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