Back in April, we hinted it might be coming: A crackdown on the flourishing pot scene that’s been stinking up/aromatizing Kensington Market. And now, the neighbourhood is being targeted for a sweep that could shut down its dispensaries.
More than just a funky spot with lots of medical marijuana shops, Kensington Market has gained a reputation as a hotspot for young renters in Toronto, with many people looking to score a pad in the famously diverse neighbourhood. However, that’s not the only thing people have scored Kensington Market, with a wave of marijuana dispensaries offering quick and easy access to medical grade weed.
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past five years you will be aware of a slow shift towards the legalization of marijuana. Certain U.S. states now allow smokers to get high on top-quality regulated weed, and Canada looks set to follow suit. The federal government has announced that it will likely legalize marijuana for recreational use, but has not said when the move would be made. Check out the quote from MP Trudeau in our blog.
Up till now, entrepreneurs have rushed into retail locations all over Toronto, offering weed to anyone with a medical marijuana card. The problem is that under current rules, the operations are technically illegal. The flourishing marijuana trade in Toronto has caught the attention of city officials, including Mayor John Tory.
In mid-May Tory promised to crack down on the dispensaries after concerns were raised by various, presumably non-smoking, citizen groups. Hefty fines have been threatened, and iconic Kensington Market dispensary Kind Supply closed its doors to avoid legal trouble.
Marijuana has undergone something of a change in image as people become aware of its medical benefits. Far from being seen as the drug of choice for crusty hippies, young creatives are increasingly appreciative of its relaxing effects in a highly-stressed, constantly connected world. In a sign of how far marijuana has moved into the mainstream, a group of Kensington Market weed entrepreneurs have mobilized to fight back against Tory and his crackdown.
Weed is big business now, and the group of entrepreneurs isn’t going let Tory ruin their fun, or their business plans. For those of without a direct interest in the commercial side of marijuana, it might get a bit more difficult and expensive to indulge in their favourite indica or sativa.
Hopefully the proposed crackdown doesn’t kill off the dispensaries in Kensington Market or anywhere else in Toronto. No one wants to be forced to buy their weed from a wannabe gangster in a McDonald’s parking lot, rather than a knowledgeable expert in a dispensary.