Pubdate: Wed, 17 Aug 2016
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Peterborough Examiner
Contact: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/letters
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Jessica Nyznik
Page: A1

MARIJUANA DISPENSARY OPENING DOWNTOWN

The city's first medical marijuana dispensary is opening downtown next
month.

GE Weed Emporium is slated to open Sept. 1, on George St. near Hunter
St.

It'll serve medical marijuana patients over the age of 21 who have a
doctor's note or medical marijuana licence and a membership to the
emporium.

Those who don't have a membership won't be allowed in the
store.

Will Johnston is the owner of GE Weed Emporium.

He has already opened stores in Toronto, Scarborough and
Oshawa.

Peterborough was next on the list, he said, based on
need.

Patients from Peterborough and the Kawarthas were already travelling
to his other stores for service.

"We just want to make it more convenient and bring it closer to them,"
he said.

The store will offer more than 20 strains of cannabis and will sell
edibles too.

It'll also have other products for sale like cannabis creams, pipes,
rolling papers, oils and vapour products.

Before dispensaries came into play, Johnston said patients could only
get cannabis from local producers, licensed by Health Canada.

But judging by the popularity of dispensaries in recent years,
Johnston said it's clear that local producers weren't meeting
patient's needs.

"We will have a lot more variety of strains and a lot more
information," Johnston said of how the emporium differs from local
producers.

Johnston opened his first dispensary in Scarborough in
November.

He said the stores were all well received in the cities they've
established in, though some residents were skeptical at first.

Johnston said he wouldn't be surprised if the same sort of
apprehension exists in Peterborough at first.

"People will be uncomfortable at first, but after time and our
transparency, I'm absolutely certain that people will be comfortable
and they will see it's not what they think." Johnston welcomes
concerned citizens to come into the store once it's opened to see what
it's all about.

"If community members have questions or concerns, we are glad to
alleviate them."

Police in Toronto have been raiding dispensaries over the last few
months, charging owners and employees with drug-related offences.

While Johnston recognizes the risk, he said the benefits his business
offers are worth it.

"There is always that concern, but the patient and what we do for
patients, outweighs it."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt