Drugs/Therapy

LCBO Selling Marijuana 'Makes Sense,' Ontario Premier

By R. Siva Kumar | Update Date: Dec 17, 2015 01:39 PM EST

Once Canada legalizes marijuana, it will be sold along with alcohol, said Ontario's premier Kathleen Wynn. She explained that the government-run liquor distributor LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) is "well suited" for the sale, according to HNGN.

"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," she said, according to the CBC.

LCBO's workers' union head Warren (Smokey) Thomas, repeated her thoughts. He said that the LCBO is the most appropriate place to distribute marijuana, as its ID policies and "very secure" warehouse system support the policy.

"If legalization happens, marijuana must be a controlled substance, and no one has more experience retailing controlled substances than the workers at the LCBO," Thomas said, according to The Star.

Other provinces added that their provincial liquor stores would be a great spot to distribute marijuana. In November, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger agreed that cannabis drugs are "highly addictive," yet sales at the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission gives the buyers a great opportunity for protection of Manitobans, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.

Examining the reecord of the sales of cannabis in Colorado, Washington and Oregon, which have legalised cannabis, will help to determine the role that government distributors will play after the legalisation of marijuana in Canada, said MLCC CEO John Stinson.

The promise of legalising the "recreational use" of marijuana was made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his election campaign.

He has already asked his new Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to formulate a process to accomplish legalization, involving government processes at both the federal and provincial levels, along with consultation of the legal and public health officials.

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