In Ontario Cannabis has been legal for over 3 years and there are over 1,200 licensed retail stores open across the province. K’s Pot Shop is one of them! There are a lot of questions we get asked pretty regularly – like why kids can’t come in, why we close at 11 and why you can’t smell or see the products before buying them – and some of the answers are quite surprising.
Here are the Top 5
1. Why can’t my kids come in with me? They can come into the LCBO with me.
With legalization, one of the concerns was enticing children. Packaging and exposure have been regulated so that children will not see accessories, view products or witness the transaction of a cannabis purchase at a licensed cannabis store.
Unlike the LCBO, we sell products that are smoked. Those products and accessories are all featured prominently in the shop. The tobacco products you buy in any variety store are concealed and not advertised. This discretion is also the reason that retailers have to frost, cover or otherwise obstruct the view from the exterior into the store.
The children. Hopefully we will be able to normalize cannabis and remove some of the stigma.
2. Why do you close so early?
The regulations allow licensed cannabis retailers to open from 9am to 11pm every day of the year. We may open later or close earlier but we may not sell or deliver cannabis outside of those hours. In fact, most of us use specialized point-of-sale systems that lock us out from doing any transactions outside of the compliant business hours. You need to complete that order at the stroke of 11pm, 11:01pm is too late.
It still doesn’t provide full access to cannabis for those that work irregular hours, but then again, my dealer would have cut me off if I’d called him before noon so, there’s that. It’s still much better and more consistent access than I had to good quality cannabis before legalization.
2. Why can’t I see or smell the products before I buy them?
While my old dealer always proudly showed me the bud I was going to buy and encouraged me to take a whiff, I can’t do that in store.
Well, technically I can. But I don’t.
Licensed Ontario cannabis retailers are allowed to use sensory containers for displaying cannabis out of the package. These containers must be locked and securely tethered down so that they can’t be stolen or opened. They have holes to allow for smelling the bud.
So technically the store *can* let you, most just choose not to, and here’s why.
A) Covid. Picking up sensory jars and shoving them into your face in these times is a big “NO” for me.
B) Retailers are obliged to buy the cannabis out of their inventory to put into those sensory containers. Bud is perishable, so, week one it probably looks and smells great – but how long will it last before it’s a poor representation of its former fresh self? Carrying a hundred different kinds of bud and continuously replacing it would be an expensive prospect. Even with sensory containers for a few popular varieties, you still don’t get to squish and feel the bud.
But, the budtenders should be able to tell you everything you need to know – and if you’re really unhappy with what you find in the bag you should be coming back and complain. Licensed Producers need the feedback to step up their game.
4. Why aren’t there consumption lounges?
Why indeed!
If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam or Barcelona or San Francisco, you’ve probably seen what cannabis legalization can be. It’s definitely fun, social and it feels good – but in Canada we have some pretty strict regulations on smoking anything indoors. And that’s where the cannabis consumption lounges run into the wall. The Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking anything indoors. No vaping, no joints, not bongs, no cigars, no bidis, no nothing. You can ingest edibles inside, but not any form of smoke.
I’ve been on outdoor consumption patios, but they’re way more fun in nice weather and still just not the same vibe as an Amsterdam Coffee Shop. We have investigated those extensively over the years in the name of research. Yah, research…
5. Do you have any freebies? Can I try before I buy?
The answer is no – and no. While my guy would smoke one with me if I went to his place to pick up, licensed cannabis retailers can’t.
One of the regulations specifies that we cannot give away cannabis or cannabis accessories for free. We can set our own prices in Ontario, but there has to be a cost. As a store owner I have to purchase my own cannabis out of inventory. Granted, I can charge myself a penny, but I can’t just grab it even though I’ve already paid for it wholesale.
One of the regulations in the Cannabis Act is that we can’t induce consumers to buy – or buy more. We can’t run contests to give away weed or accessories for free. No BOGO, no trying first. No making it cheaper for larger quantities and no discounts to seal the deal.
It’s the law.
There are a lot of rules, these are just a few of the things that come up regularly. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch and we’ll share what we know. Email hello@kspotshop.ca or come by and ask about anything at all, we love to talk pot!