Pubdate: Thu, 07 Dec 2017
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2017 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Neil Godbout
Page: A6

WHY LIQUOR STORES NEED TO SELL POT

The B.C. NDP government tipped its hand Tuesday on how it plans to
regulate the legal sale of marijuana. Besides setting the age at 19 to
buy, possess and consume pot, similar to alcohol and tobacco, the
province said the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch will be the sole
supplier, distributing pot to private and public stores in the same
manner it already does with booze.

The government didn't address exactly who will sell pot but it looks
like the NDP will take a different tact from the model already laid
out in Ontario, where legal pot will only be available in about 150
stores, all operated by that province's liquor control board.

There, current private retail pot sales operations will be illegal and
pot will be sold only in stand-alone storefronts, separate from alcohol.

Let's hope in B.C., the unnecessary duplication and mistrust of the
private sector in the Ontario plan will be ignored. The path forward
that the NDP seems to be suggesting is to simply use the existing
alcohol infrastructure to not only control supply and distribution but
also to look after sales.

In other words, the public B.C. liquor stores, along with the private
liquor outlets, will be the sole retail sources of legal pot. They
already have existing licences to sell safe and legally-produced
intoxicants to adult consumers and their staff and management already
operate with the best practices to keep those products out of the
hands of minors.

At least out of the gate, private pot dispensaries can't provide that
oversight and, as in Ontario, they will need to be closed down. That
doesn't mean option can't be explored later but for now, it's the best
way to insure safe, legal pot from legitimate production facilities
(not illegal grow operations with proceeds to organized crime) is sold
strictly to adults.

Allowing existing liquor stores to sell pot will also protect their
business.

The Washington Post reported this week on the work of university
researchers who have found a 15 per cent decline in alcohol sales in
states where medical marijuana is easily accessible.

The study suggests that the legalization of pot for recreational use
could take an even bigger bite out of liquor sales.

These findings should hardly come as a surprise. An increase in the
number of intoxicants in the marketplace doesn't mean that people will
increase their spending on intoxicants.

This is just one study, as the Post article points out. Other research
has show little effect while others have found the easier access to
pot has actually increased alcohol sales and consumption.

It's simply too soon to say but common sense would suggest that when
there's a new product on the market, some will spend money to give
that a try while devoting less cash to their previous brand.
Significantly, pot also has a lot going for it. There's no such thing
as pot poisoning but excessive amounts of alcohol can kill you in both
the short and long terms. Alcoholism is a real and terrible illness
but a boatload of research shows pot doesn't trigger addictive behaviour.

Everybody knows someone who has too many drinks and wants to fight or
do something really stupid ("hey, hold my beer watch this!"). Pot,
meanwhile, brings on silly conversations, the unstoppable giggles and,
as the Eagles said a "peaceful easy feeling."

Of course, pot does have some real and significant effects, but
nowhere near the issues that come with alcohol consumption.

Along with the various ways to consume pot - for those who don't like
to smoke, there are both edible products and THC pills - there is the
cost factor. If getting a bang for the buck is important, pot is
cheaper than alcohol and less of it is required to be
intoxicated.

As a result, some adults who once relied exclusively on alcohol as a
fun-and-games lubricant will inevitably switch to legalized pot,
especially as the social stigma around its use further evaporates.

Allowing liquor stores to also sell pot would keep those businesses
healthy and profitable, make it easier for government to oversee
distribution and sale and give adults a one-stop shopping option to
pick their poison.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt