At five seconds past midnight, Ian Power became the owner of the first gram of recreational cannabis to be sold in Canada. After waiting for hours in the cold, Power strode excitedly into the only cannabis store open in St John’s, Newfoundland, and made his purchase.
“I think it’s one of the biggest moments of my life,” he told the crowd of reporters gathered to witness the transaction at the Tweed store. “There’s a tear in my eye. No more back alleys.” Power said he intended to frame his purchase rather than smoke it.
Three years after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was elected with a mandate to legalise marijuana, residents in Canada can now legally purchase the drug, putting an end to nearly a century of prohibition in the country. Banned in 1923, cannabis first became legal in 2001, when the government approved it for medicinal purposes only.
“There’s no question the world is watching.” Jody Wilson-Raybould, the country’s attorney-general, said at a press conference on Wednesday morning. The federal government also announced plans to pardon people convicted of previous minor marijuana convictions, a victory for campaigners who argued that prohibition unfairly targeted racial minorities.
Ministers present at the event struck a sombre tone, reminding the country of strict laws in place to prevent the sale of cannabis to minors and to deter impaired driving.
Cannabis sales will be governed by a confusing patchwork of sometimes contradictory provincial laws: in Ontario, people will be free to smoke or vape marijuana anywhere they can legally consume tobacco, but in Manitoba the penalty will be $672.
But such concerns did little to temper giddy enthusiasm. Long lines marked the occasion in Halifax, as residents flocked to the 12 government-run stores in the province. Retailers across the country had previously warned of supply shortages leading up to legaliation.
“I loaded up,” Isaac Langille told the Star Halifax, brandishing a purchase of 30 grams – the maximum legal amount – for $344 CAD. Provinces have struggled to devise pricing strategies that will deter the black market, where the product can be cheaper.
The price per gram isn’t uniform throughout the country: in the Northwest Territories, the cost online is $13.13 CAD per gram, compared with $5.87 CAD in Newfoundland.
For years, illegal marijuana dispensaries have operated throughout the country, often requiring little more than Skype conversation with a doctor off-site and a valid driver’s licence. A number of dispensaries are expected to continue operating, even though they will still be illegal.
“It kind of has felt legal for the last 20 years anyway. Now I can just buy it legally,” Charlie Galley told the Star Halifax as he left one of the province’s cannabis stores in Nova Scotia.
Many early purchasers said they hoped legalisation would lead to a change in the perception of users.
“People need to stop thinking potheads are people who don’t do anything in life, sit on their couch eating chips all day,” Hugh Senécal told the CBC in Montreal. “I got up at 3am to be here. Most people wouldn’t do that.”
The Société Québécoise du Cannabis – one of Quebec’s retailers – had already recorded more than 10,000 sales by 9.30am, according to the CBC.
Canada’s most populous province will have no physical stores, but moments after midnight, Ontario’s online ordering system kicked in, followed by a chorus of social media mocking the clunky design of the site. Stores are likely to appear later in the year.
Legalisation parties were held in Ontario, but with no stores, attendees were forced to use cannabis previously obtained – illegally – to mark the event.
Just a handful people lined up out front British Columbia’s only store, in Kamloops. “I’m just excited that we have a store finally,” the first person in line told Global News, arriving at 2am for the 9am opening. “It was like Christmas last night, I was so giddy.”
Even one of the country’s largest newspapers got in on the action: the Globe and Mail posted an infographic on how to roll a joint.
Overshadowing the rollout was the reality that Canada Post, the country’s only approved mail service for cannabis orders, was on the verge of striking – with rotating walk-offs beginning as early as Monday. For marijuana users who do not live near a brick and mortar weed store, a strike means that their long wait for legal weed will continue.
