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There has been a lot of criticism about the slow roll-out of legal cannabis stores in BC, and in Kelowna in particular. But today, the first of 15 Kelowna stores opened its doors.
We spoke with Harrison Stoker, who represents the Hobo Cannabis store, across from Orchard Park Mall, at Springfield and Cooper.
"This is our living room," said Stoker who greeted us at the door. Directly inside is a pleasant sitting area. On display is a simple chart with colour-coded categories and graphics for the different strains of cannabis.
"We call it our decision tree," he said. "We've built it almost like a volume bar."
The categories range from high THC Sativa strains at the top for an energetic feel, to a high THC Indica at the bottom for a more restful and relaxing feel. In the middle are products with higher CBD content and less THC for a more neutral psychoactive effect.
Lyle Oberg from the production company Flowr was on hand for the opening. Flowr is one of Hobo's suppliers, producing legal, recreational cannabis right here in Kelowna. He said the wait has been too long. "I think there's no doubt," he said. "The original intent behind legalizing cannabis was to squash the black market and by not giving people access to cannabis, the black market has been allowed to flourish."
People waiting outside for the store to open were pleased the wait is over.
"I think it's awesome," said Erin English. "Finally we have a safe place to get cannabis and products without having to go to the street."
"I feel it's long overdue," said Gary Johnston."Cannabis was legalized October 17th and here we are and it's what July 25th?"
Back inside the store, the tour continued. "You've got the actual buds here," said Stoker showing us the dried flower on display. "It's a smell jar, you can open up and become familiar with the particular smells."
"We've got 36 strains in total, which is a really great number for anyone interested in exploring cannabis," said Stoker. "In our shelving units, we've got the other consumption formats." He then showed us cannabis products sold as capsules, oils, sprays and pre-rolled joints.
Some of the customers were more than willing to talk about it, a few others were afraid to be photographed, fearing they might lose their jobs. Marijuana may be legal, but the stigma remains an issue for many people.
More stores are expected to open in the days and weeks ahead.
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