Maritime medical cannabis dispensary owners and other workers in the illicit side of the industry met in Halifax to discuss creating a not-for-profit group to present their concerns to provincial and federal governments, according to one store owner.
“A collective voice with respect to any new cannabis regime, whether medical or recreational, that’s going to be introduced,” Chris Enns said in his Halifax store – which has been raided before – on Thursday.
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He added the group would emphasize “the need for privately-owned dispensaries to be part of any” system that is introduced.
About 50 people, including owners of dozens of dispensaries in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, attended the closed-door meeting, Enns said.
A motivating factor for assembling the group is “the need for there to be rapid and aggressive responses to dispensary raids that are happening increasingly across Nova Scotia,” he said.
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Members are still determining whether it will cover the whole Maritimes or just Nova Scotia.
The aim is to establish the group within a couple of weeks.
Last week, Ontario’s Liberal government became the first province to announce a detailed plan for its ensuing cannabis sales.