A former provincial health minister who has moved to the cannabis industry is giving the legal marijuana retail sales model tabled by the BC government yesterday a thumbs up.
Terry Lake, now the VP of corporate social responsibility with the Hydropothecary corporation, says BC may have tabled the best legal cannabis model he has seen in any province.
Lake says it was important to leave room for currently illegal marijuana dispensaries to become a legitimate business as long as they are screened to ensure there are no links to organized crime.
Lake says the province has given local government significant muscle but he doesn’t feel city councils will throw up roadblocks to prevent legal marijuana.
“It is clear that there is good support among a lot of residences of municipalities in British Columbia for a legalized regulated model. We are adults people like to make our own decisions. As long as it is well regulated with separation from schools, daycares, and from each other so you don’t get a conglomeration of cannabis stores. I think local governments have been given wide ranging power that is good for local planning.”
He says the only negative is the province not allowing marijuana producers to have a direct relationship with stores, Lake says that limits opportunities.