Marijuana Legalization

I've never seen a bigger Government flop than here - Ontario's legalization of marijuana. Legal only at Government Stores. I quit smoking anything 43 years ago, so the following is just what I've observed. Hardly anyone buys at the (very few) Government stores - I've heard that it's low-grade - stems, seeds etc. and costs like high-grade. People still call a number and can get free delivery - better weed at lower prices. And they do -- in HUGE numbers.

Consumption seems to have increased - the smell of pot from nearby houses is almost overpowering, when I'm out walking. But it's bought from the same dealers who sold it before legalization, plus new entrants in the field. There were about 50 (illegal) storefront operations in my town that sprang up when legal pot was about to begin. There was a crackdown then - but now people drop off cards with their numbers etc. Every phone or electric pole is plastered with these phone numbers (and prices too).

The government has missed the boat on revenue, completely. They can no more salvage this than they have been able to control the flow of untaxed cigarettes from Native Reserves. About one in two smokers here buys cigarettes that come from these sources. "Runners" sell them for less than $30 a carton. Around $3 a pack - taxed cigarettes are $13 a pack in stores. Who loses? The government - and by extension, us.

If the Government makes something like marijuana legal - and goes into the business of selling it - then they should be able to make it PAY. They're inept -- or is it inert?

 

We have that same thing here, Steve. At least the Government gets the revenue - they don't have dozens and dozens of private illegal booze-shops eating their lunch. Well, they probably do - but all after 2 am and even the bootleggers buy their booze from the same stores the rest of us do. They just mark up the prices. And I must say, the Province does a fairly good job of selling liquor. I've never seen anyone go back and complain the stuff doesn't work! I actually quit drinking almost solely because I saw that 90% of the money I paid went to taxes and Government pockets. I quit smoking pot just because it was ...smoking.

I'm totally surprised that our Government can't get marijuana sales right. According to the papers, our Premier is a former drug dealer and was pretty successful. What happened?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/globe-investigation-the-ford-familys-history-with-drug-dealing/article12153014/

 

Actually, it's kind of the reverse, Steve. Being in Ottawa puts you close to Quebec, which again means the Provincial Government is in charge - Régie des alcools, to be precise.
A lot of people are much closer to the US border and can go to New York State, which has private stores. You're supposed to declare alcohol at the border (and pay duty on it ) but of course people sneak it across. (There's a free pass on one bottle per adult, I think if you've been in the US for 48 hours.)

I used to live very close to the US border. People at work would often load up on American booze and sneak it across around Christmas. It cost around half - or even less of the Canadian price. And it was stronger, too. Canadian liquor is notoriously weak - mostly 80 proof. American hooch is generally 86 or 100. Our beer is pretty good, though. Not as good as the German beer we can buy, though. They're still brewing by the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Act) of 1516. Honest! It doesn't get any better than that!

 

I should add - beer and wine are sold in private stores (including grocery stores and convenience stores) in Quebec. In Ontario, we can now get these in selected grocery stores, too, but not convenience stores - yet. The government says that's part of their plan. The Government stores in both provinces have a monopoly on liquor and also sell wine and (some) beer. The bulk of domestic beer is sold in Government-run stores that used to be called "Brewers' Retail." The signs now read simply "Beer Store," which was what everybody called them for ages, anyway.

 

In my town we'd do those 21 stops in ONE day! And be on the trail for TWO WEEKS. Really serious drinkers here!

 

Victoria's nice, though. Like a smaller, cleaner slice of England, run by the Swiss.