Canada: Convenience Stores Association Lobbies Government For Permission To Sell Cannabis

Cannabis Law Group chair Matt Maurer discusses the possibility of cannabis being sold at convenience stores once it becomes legalized.

Convenience Stores Association Lobbies Government For Permission to Sell Cannabis

Could Canadians find cannabis at the corner store once it is legalized for the adult-use market? If the Western Convenience Stores Association ("WCSA") has its way the answer will be "yes".

In its written submission to the Standing Committee on Health regarding Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, the WCSA has indicated that "convenience stores should be allowed to sell [cannabis] depending on demand in their local markets."

The WCSA, which represents over 7,000 retailers and 50,000 Canadians working in convenience stores across Western Canada, points to the experience its members have in "keeping age-restricted products such as lottery tickets and tobacco out of the hands of minors."

The WCSA notes that it is "committed to working with all levels of government to maintain controlled access to age-restricted products."

Interestingly, the WCSA hypothesizes that the need for educated counter-staff at retail establishments will not be universally necessary as "standardized, pre-packaged products" emerge that "do not require unique expertise in their handling and sale."

The WCSA is also supportive of ensuring that the packaging of pre-packaged products allow for "sufficient product differentiation and branding to help distinguish legal from illegal products while at the same time providing some guarantee of product standards of quality and, along with that, safety for consumers."

A complete copy of the submission can be found here.

Originally published on Canada Cannabis Legal by Matt Maurer on August 10, 2017.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.