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HAPPY NEW YEAR, LEGAL CANNABIS

Thursday marked the first anniversary of REC legalization. Among many articles assessing the year in review, some found the results of legalization relatively positive, while others defined legalization by its ethical failures, and still more noted consumers dissatisfied with prices, quality, and product availability.
Transform Drug Policy Foundation, The Star, Maclean’s, The Leaf

  • Among the toughest appraisals of the last year came from NORML Canada, who used the anniversary to launch their post-legalization platform, demanding improved consumer access to REC and MED products, assistance for those wishing to move from the legacy market to the legal market, full expungements and more.
  • Researchers said it would take roughly five years before we can assess changes to demands on the health care system resulting from legalization.
    Journal de Montréal—In French

In 2018, police made 34,441 arrests under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and 1,370 arrests under the Cannabis Act—the lowest such numbers since 1969-1970.
Statistics Canada, Twitter—Chris Goodwin

Physical REC stores are the engine for most sales, and because outside of Alberta the REC retail rollout has ranged from slow (Quebec) to protracted (Ontario)that’s kept sales low. However, having opted against a central-warehouse distribution system like Ontario’s, Quebec’s SQDC monopoly became profitable in Q1 of its second year.
The Conversation, Bloomberg

Indigenous cannabis sellers remain “in legal limbo” thanks to a complex patchwork of Supreme Court decisions regarding First Nations’ rights. CBC Indigenous