Allowing illegal dispensaries to operate with impunity is unfair to legal store owners
Illegal cannabis dispensaries and delivery services continue to thrive across Ontario. These criminal operations pose a risk to public health by selling unregulated and untested cannabis that, according to a recent study conducted on behalf of the Ontario Provincial Police, are often contaminated with dangerous chemicals.
In 2019, the provincial government allocated $40 million over two years to help municipalities deal with the implementation costs of recreational cannabis legalization, including funding specialized bylaw enforcement units targeting illegal dispensaries and delivery services. This funding should be reinstated and made available to municipalities like Mississauga who have recently opted into legal cannabis sales.
Ontario should also consider what additional measures can be taken to empower licensed cannabis retailers to compete with illegal dispensaries. While the government-owned Ontario Cannabis Store recently announced a modest reduction in the wholesale markup it charges licensed cannabis producers, further measures are necessary to ensure that the legal market can compete on price while maintaining reasonable margins.
It is only through such a concerted and multi-pronged approach that we will be able to keep our kids and communities safe from the dangers of illegal, untested and unregulated cannabis.
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