Farms in some provinces are allowed to sell directly to the public—with onerous restrictions.
The Ontario government’s idea appears straightforward: Encourage investors to buy rich farmland and grow sun-drenched cannabis plants full of the compounds that get you high, treat ailments, and pack an aromatic punch. Then let them open their gates, offering tourists an experience akin to boutique wineries.
Entrepreneurs jumping on the opportunity are finding it’s not so simple.
Legislation that took effect in 2019 allowing direct sales from farms is restrictive and unwieldy, and such projects are further complicated by the myriad rules governing the cannabis industry in Canada at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
J.P. Mariwell Inc., a pot grower attempting to build a tourism business, imagines guests strolling through its fields of towering pot plants—with a guide extolling the health benefits of the various strains. The company would like to offer some of its weed harvest for sale on site, as well as bath bombs and beverages from other local producers in the bucolic region, along the shores of Lake Erie. Mariwell’s master grower envisions a cafe, with a menu showcasing his most spectacular specimens.
Much of that is likely to remain a dream. Regulations say Mariwell’s shop windows must be blacked out so minors can’t see in. Tours of cannabis fields aren’t allowed under rules designed to avoid contamination. [Read More @ Bloomberg]
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