5574 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

It's pretty clear now that the decades of action on this front was more about legalizing cannabis under the pretence of creating a government revenue stream and capturing billions of dollars worth of transactions for taxation. The black market is far too advanced and entrenched to be stopped overnight.

 

That's right.  And it's yet to be seen if it can be stamped out altogether.

 

It's very hard to compare to any other product/service.

 

Of course that will not stop me from trying.  

 

What about prostitution?  If the government regulated and set standards etc. would people just turn exclusively to legal, licensed brothels/sex workers?

 

We have licensed gaming, but it's quite unclear how much money is still bet offshore especially at sports bets.  I'm not sure many people are playing foreign private lottery games.

 

What about babysitting?  That is almost exclusively an underground economy, except daycares.

 

A lot of home repair/upkeep is carried out by friends, neighbours and family, or sometimes strangers, for those that cannot manage the job.

 

And then I guess we could look at other drugs.  Lots of informal trade occurs among people that have access to prescription drugs.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2021 - 09:40 AM.

[spanky123]

It's pretty clear now that the decades of action on this front was more about legalizing cannabis under the pretence of creating a government revenue stream and capturing billions of dollars worth of transactions for taxation. The black market is far too advanced and entrenched to be stopped overnight.

 

The other factor is that people can easily grow their own now that it is legal.

[Mike K.]

Well, yes and no. It’s not that easy to manage a plant for six months. Most people will do it for a season as a novelty, screw something up, then throw in the towel.

[Victoria Watcher]

I suppose the take-up rate is not much different than home vegetable gardening.

But zucchini and carrots is a lot easier.

I grow rhubarb. Easy, and the leaves give me quite a high.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2021 - 01:29 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The B.C. government has announced an agreement with Snuneymuxw First Nation, on Vancouver Island, around operation of a cannabis retail store set to open in the new year.

 

Snuneymuxw followed the City of Nanaimo’s re-zoning process last year for a unit on Stewart Avenue close to Departure Bay ferry terminal.

 

The province, in a press release Dec. 21, noted that it is authorized to enter into agreements with Indigenous Nations through the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act. The release notes that “Snuneymuxw is focused on operating retail cannabis stores that offer a diverse selection of products from licensed producers across Canada,” but the agreement provides flexibility for Snuneymuxw to “pursue its vision for greater participation in the cannabis industry, while maintaining alignment with the provincial regulatory regime.”

 

Mike Farnworth, B.C. minister of public safety and solicitor general, said in the release that the agreement is an important milestone that advances Snuneymuxw’s economic objectives and demonstrates the benefits of the province and First Nations working together to develop a “vibrant” cannabis sector.

 

https://www.canadian...n-the-new-year/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 December 2021 - 02:47 PM.

[Nparker]

...the province and First Nations working together to develop a “vibrant” cannabis sector...

Seriously? The cannabis "sector" needs to be "vibrant"? It might be time overhaul the Government Communications & Public Engagement office.

[qv]

Seriously? The cannabis "sector" needs to be "vibrant"? It might be time overhaul the Government Communications & Public Engagement office.

With the way the BC liquor folks glamorize alcohol it's not surprising they would do the same for cannabis.

[spanky123]

^^ Basically I assume it means that they can sell non-Government pot (ie the stuff everyone knows FN grow on reserve land). 

 

Big losers will be the licensed pot shops who played by the rules and who will now be cut out of the business and taxpayers who thought that taxes from pot would benefit society.

Edited by spanky123, 22 December 2021 - 04:52 PM.

[Hotel Mike]

Isn't there supposed to be a FN operated cannabis store in James Bay? What has happened to that one?

[Victoria Watcher]

There were an estimated 2,500 small-scale cannabis producers in the region at the time of marijuana legalization, the province said in a news release.

The project in the Central Kootenay area helped 53 businesses receive help navigating the federal licensing process, with 13 organizations receiving licences. The provincial government said 62 jobs were created or moved from the illegal market to the legal one by the time the program ended in July.

Brynne said the program saw some successes but there’s “a heck of a long way for things to go.”

She said high insurance costs are prohibitive for small growers starting out and more work needs to be done to convince people not to buy illegal marijuana.

https://www.nature.c...586-021-00149-1



Pretty sure “paying tax” is a higher burden than insurance. Why can’t anyone just openly address/admit that? It’s the same for street drugs, prostitution, underground gambling etc.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 December 2021 - 02:01 PM.

[spanky123]

Isn't there supposed to be a FN operated cannabis store in James Bay? What has happened to that one?

 

You thinking of the one on Fort St?

[spanky123]

^^ It is more than just the tax. From what I am told, pot grown on FN reserves costs about $.75 a gram (or less). The most efficient licensed producers have costs of about $1.75. The difference is the regulatory and licensing requirements. A licensed grower can't sell directly to the retailer (middleman cut) and they must sell pot with a maximum THC of 23% (IIRC) whereas the illegal market is much higher. Add in the variety of products the illegal market offers and the fact that no tax is collected or paid and the legal market has no chance.

 

I said even before the law was passed years ago that this market would go the same way as the "native smokes" business out East. It would be controlled by FN with cops and politicians turning a blind eye. 

[Nparker]

...I said even before the law was passed years ago that this market would go the same way as the "native smokes" business out East. It would be controlled by FN with cops and politicians turning a blind eye. 

The main difference being that governments, "in the spirit of reconciliation", are actively assisting FN with establishing cannabis sales, even though it will undoubtedly cut into the taxation revenue they claim will benefit all people.

[spanky123]

^ I think that the unintentional assistance from the Feds is the regulation of competition to the extent that there is none! Anyone operating legally cannot compete against the black market with the possible exception of convenience.

[Hotel Mike]

"You thinking of the one on Fort St?"

 

Hey Spanky. No, I thought there was one approved in the area of James Bay Square, just around from Thrifty Foods.

[todd]

There are three on Fort.

[spanky123]

There are three on Fort.

 

Only one is FN owned AFAIK.

[todd]

Only one is FN owned AFAIK.

Didn’t think any on Fort are owned by a nation

https://justice.gov.bc.ca/lcrb/map

Edited by todd, 28 December 2021 - 03:50 PM.

[spanky123]

https://www.songhees...ke-in-lekwungen

 

Fort St and Gordon St. Translated name means "Crazy Smoke".

Edited by spanky123, 28 December 2021 - 04:48 PM.

[todd]

https://www.songhees...ke-in-lekwungen
 
Fort St and Gordon St. Translated name means "Crazy Smoke".

“...for outlets in Victoria at 901 Gordon Street and one in the Bay Centre at 616 – 1150 Douglas. Songhees Nation has a majority ownership in Songhees Cannabis S + S, and are in partnership with Mr. Vikram Sachdeva, owner-operator of Seed and Stone, on the two downtown Seed and Stone locations..”