What would it take to open a marijuana dispensary?

[Masked Bandit]

So if the current polls are to be believed, the Liberals appear to be the next sitting government. If Mr. Trudeau follows through on his promise to legalize marijuana I wonder what it would take to open a store. I'm guessing a few beyonders have already imagined this, what are your thoughts?

[Cos]

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[spikerS]

Originally posted by Masked Bandit
So if the current polls are to be believed, the Liberals appear to be the next sitting government. If Mr. Trudeau follows through on his promise to legalize marijuana I wonder what it would take to open a store. I'm guessing a few beyonders have already imagined this, what are your thoughts?

One of my best friends, also a beyonder, but hardly ever comes on anymore, opened one up in Vancouver. He quickly bailed on it because EVERYONE was opening them. They are pretty over-saturated there now, and the risk associated with theft and break and enters due to the nature of the business is REALLY high.

After doing my research, and in talking with him, I would not want to open one anywhere.

[sputnik]

- Someone to grow your stuff
- Something to package your stuff in
- A safe
- A security guard
- An some burnout with dreadlocks to run the front counter

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by sputnik
- Something to package your stuff in

[EK 2.0]

Remember rule number 4...

And I know, you heard this before...but never get high on your own supply....

[01RedDX]

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[vengie]

Security, along the lines of a bank or high end jewelry store.

I can see them being a PRIME target for robbery.

[Robin Goodfellow]

I think the first requirement is a laissez-faire attitude from the police.

What is happening in Vancouver can't happen here, until that happens first.

Honestly, I don't see it happening in Calgary, until the playing field is formally opened through legislation.


I hear Vancouver is saturated with dispensaries. Apparently retail storefront space is at a premium due to the pressure that so many dispensaries opening have created. I've been following some of these developments in Vancouver, and it's surreal.

In Calgary, if you light one up, you risk being sent to Guantanamo. In Vancouver, it sounds like it's damned near a gold rush of opportunity and openness.


And forget creating your own grow-op. I've heard from friends that traditional growers are being crowded out in favor of friends-of-government who are finding it easier to get the necessary licenses.

Same old, same old.

[Robin Goodfellow]

Originally posted by EK 2.0

And I know, you heard this before...but never get high on your own supply....

Why not?

[01RedDX]

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[sputnik]

Originally posted by vengie
Security, along the lines of a bank or high end jewelry store.

I can see them being a PRIME target for robbery.

Canada would be different that the US in this way.

In the US the marijuana shops in WA/OR/CA etc do not trust the banks so they do ALL of their business in cash only. This is because marijuana is still illegal on a federal level. In Canada it would be legalized federally and there would be little need to take precautions the same way they do in the US.

As a result at the US dispensaries, employees are paid in cash, MJ is paid for in cash and the cash is kept in a safe. Hence the need for much higher security.

[Masked Bandit]

Originally posted by 01RedDX


When it's legal? I think the risk would be roughly on par with a liquor store. Bars/alarms/cameras sure, but bank type of security? That's a bit much. It's not an oxy or cocaine dispensary, it's just weed. Weed users aren't likely to go on crime sprees in order to support their habit.

And that's exactly what I'm thinking. If I were to open a liquor store, security would need to be addressed but it's not a limiting factor. I'm really drawing a lot of parallels between a newly legalized marijuana environment and what it was like in Alberta just after the government privatized liquor stores. It sure would have been nice to get in on the ground floor of that wave. Trying to open a liquor store NOW is just buying yourself a low paying job. If you were in the first wave you had a chance of becoming something like Willow Park.

I don't want to grow it, or package it. I just want to sell it. The liquor store doesn't brew their own beer, they just deal with the end consumer.

[Masked Bandit]

Originally posted by EK 2.0
Remember rule number 4...

And I know, you heard this before...but never get high on your own supply....

No worries there, I've never touched the stuff and I don't see that changing.

[brandon]

I've been watching the polls quite closely for the same reasoning. I wonder how hard it would be to insurance your business and inventory. I'm assuming LoL would insure it for a hefty fee.. But something more reasonable.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by Robin Goodfellow
I think the first requirement is a laissez-faire attitude from the police.

What is happening in Vancouver can't happen here, until that happens first.

Honestly, I don't see it happening in Calgary, until the playing field is formally opened through legislation.


I hear Vancouver is saturated with dispensaries. Apparently retail storefront space is at a premium due to the pressure that so many dispensaries opening have created. I've been following some of these developments in Vancouver, and it's surreal.

In Calgary, if you light one up, you risk being sent to Guantanamo. In Vancouver, it sounds like it's damned near a gold rush of opportunity and openness.


And forget creating your own grow-op. I've heard from friends that traditional growers are being crowded out in favor of friends-of-government who are finding it easier to get the necessary licenses.

Same old, same old.

Just where DO you get your information from? You spew out facts like the reefer madness propaganda. None of what you say is even remotely true.

"In Calgary, if you light one up, you risk being sent to Guantanamo." Really? Has that been your personal experience??

My son and his buddies standing outside a club here in Calgary, smoking a joint. Cop rolls up. "What are you guys smoking?"
"A joint".
"You know I have to take that from you, eh? Do you have any more?"
"Yeah...another joint in the baggie here"
"I'll take that too"
"Okay..."


My wife and I smoke up openly anywhere there are cigarette smokers. Saddledome, Smoking section outside Casinos, Stampede, etc. Never once has anyone even raised an eyebrow.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Dave he doesn't trade in fact, just bullshit dressed in a loose eloquence.

[A790]

Originally posted by Masked Bandit


And that's exactly what I'm thinking. If I were to open a liquor store, security would need to be addressed but it's not a limiting factor. I'm really drawing a lot of parallels between a newly legalized marijuana environment and what it was like in Alberta just after the government privatized liquor stores. It sure would have been nice to get in on the ground floor of that wave. Trying to open a liquor store NOW is just buying yourself a low paying job. If you were in the first wave you had a chance of becoming something like Willow Park.

I don't want to grow it, or package it. I just want to sell it. The liquor store doesn't brew their own beer, they just deal with the end consumer.

We should talk.

I've got some investment capital, along with some investors, and a pretty solid business plan.

If they legalize this shit I'm all over it.

[Robin Goodfellow]

Originally posted by C_Dave45


Just where DO you get your information from? You spew out facts like the reefer madness propaganda. None of what you say is even remotely true.


"In Calgary, if you light one up, you risk being sent to Guantanamo." Really? Has that been your personal experience??

Given the over-the-top nature of the claim, I'm surprised that you wouldn't identify it as mere hyperbole.

Notwithstanding your ability to light one up outside of a bar, there's still a massive gap between Calgary and Vancouver, in terms of both availability, and acceptance.

What you identify as freedom, I call not tugging at the leash too hard.


My claim about the proliferation of dispensaries contributing to rental pressure comes from this recent article:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/10/08...for-rent-spike


My claim regarding the selective licensing of producers strikes me as fairly common knowledge to anyone who has been following the process of legalization, so I'm surprised that this is a surprise to you. Nonetheless, here's a little background:

http://www.straight.com/news/413966/...nabis-industry

http://www.straight.com/news/505311/...-pot-oligarchy

If you don't like these sources, feel free to google up your own - These articles are far from unique.


My own opinion is that any vestigial legislative or governmental resistance to Marijuana dispensaries or producers is merely path-clearing by the government to allow it's own friends to position themselves to take advantage of the coming gold rush.

It brings to mind the old saying: Fight organized crime - The government hates competition.

The Vancouver Police force have seen a lot of flak for their hands-off position, but really, it's visionary. They know that at this transitional point, any enforcement efforts would merely make them patsies, path-clearing for corporate interests.

(The police have traditionally been a very useful tool in defending corporate interests, and it's great to see them refusing to play ball this time).

[Robin Goodfellow]

Originally posted by A790


If they legalize this shit I'm all over it.

And there's the rub.

I believe that legalization will happen 5 minutes after all of the corporate players are in position to take advantage of it.

Once the playing field is levelled, you will notice that it is not so level.