Pubdate: Mon, 24 Oct 2016
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.torontosun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Maryam Shah
Page: 18

SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS, MAN

Marc Emery may be the Prince of Pot, but he still harbours serious
concerns about a future with legal marijuana.

A federal task force on the legalization and regulation of marijuana
is expected to report back in November. Legislation is expected in the
spring.

Arguably one of the most well-known marijuana advocates in the
country, Emery says he fears small-time dispensaries and longtime pot
advocates will be frozen out once weed is legal.

His brand of dispensaries - Cannabis Culture - opened at least three
stores in Toronto, selling to anyone aged 19 and over.

The Toronto Sun caught up with Emery:

AS LEGALIZATION APPROACHES, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEARS ABOUT BEING FROZEN OUT?

"That's a big concern now, we'll just keep breaking the law, anyway.
I've seen 34 prisons and jails for pot and so I have paid my dues.

"So with me, you're looking at someone who's very hardcore. But I
would certainly say that the ordinary Canadian producers who have been
growing marijuana for 50 years - the ordinary Canadian sellers -
they're all going to be frozen out if the government gets its way,
because they don't trust ordinary citizens."

IS A BLACK MARKET FOR MARIJUANA POSSIBLE AFTER LEGALIZATION?

"If we have a free market, no, there will never be a black market. A
free market would let the price plummet to its natural levels."

"WHAT WILL YOU DO IF THE GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO SELL MARIJUANA IS THROUGH 
THE LCBO?

"It depends. If the LCBO is charging a free market price, meaning
there's other competition, then I would get out of the business. I
don't need to be in the business myself, I just need to know that the
market is fairly available for all people. "If they charge the HST,
that's fine, that's on every commodity, that's not a prejudicial
thing. But if they say that they're going to add a 50% tax to an
artificially high non-market price ... then of course we'll still be
doing it, we'll be undercutting them, obviously. If we can't undercut
them, we won't be in business."

WHEN ASKED FOR COMMENT, ONTARIO'S FINANCE MINISTRY, WHICH OVERSEES THE 
LCBO, OFFERED A WRITTEN STATEMENT:

"It would be premature to speculate on how marijuana could be
distributed and retailed in Ontario as all decisions from the
provincial level will be guided by the federal government's framework
for legalization which is still in development.

"Ontario does however have extensive experience and expertise in
dealing with controlled substances such as tobacco and alcohol and has
a proven track record of making these available to consumers in a
socially responsible manner."

(Responses were condensed for space)
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MAP posted-by: Matt