As the clock strikes midnight tonight, so comes the legalization of cannabis across the nation.
Anyone in the city that is over the age of 19 will be able to buy up to 30 grams of cannabis from the uptown Liquor Shop on Borden Drive once the store opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning. Cannabis will be sold out of the liquor side of the store, but will eventually will be relocated to a separate adjoining space with its own entrance.
“So as far as we know we will be open here, in this store, it will not be in the other side, it's going to be in the liquor
store itself,” said Ed Eggenberger, owner of the Liquor Shop.
To start, the shop will sell Zombie Kush, Banana Split and Nanas as whole flowers in a range of different weights. That will be complemented by packs of pre-rolled joints of Indica with different levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the main active compound in cannabis.
“So this is the size, so that will be like an eighth of an ounce, a quarter ounce, that's one gram,” said Eggenberger, while looking at an inventory list. “This is high THC Indica, and that is your 1 to 1 Indica in CBD, just different strains.”
In addition to the physical store in Yellowknife, consumers will be able to buy cannabis from the GNWT's online cannabis store at ntlcc.ca which is expected to go live on Wednesday. The online store will initially sell eight to 10 products with plans to expand to up to 100 variations of cannabis.
Once in possession, those looking to use cannabis can only legally do so on private property in areas where smoking tobacco is currently allowed and also on trails or roadways when not operating a motor vehicle. However, there are restrictions involving spaces where children are likely to be present.
“Smoking or vaping cannabis is strictly prohibited in locations frequented by children, such as: playgrounds, school grounds or sports fields, and outdoor events,” stated Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson Damien Healy in an email. “Community governments have the authority to make and enforce their own bylaws that add to the GNWT's rules on public consumption of cannabis.”
The city has not passed any additional by-laws restricting public smoking of cannabis, but existing smoking by-laws does cover off cannabis, stated a spokesperson in an email.That means anywhere someone can light a cigarette, they can smoke cannabis.
Strains of Liquor Shop Cannabis
Zombie Kush – flower, one, 3.5 and seven grams.
Banana Split – flower, one, 3.5 and seven grams.
Nana’s – flower, 3.5 grams
High THC Indica – pre-rolled, .5 grams per roll
1:1 Indica – CBD – pre-rolled, .5 grams per roll
Pre-rolled cannabis will be sold in packs of two.