It was a hot-button topic on CBC Radio's CrossTalk Wednesday, as advocates and opponents called in with their opinions on whether marijuana, if legalized, should be made available through the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC).

Recreational marijuana user Gideon Barker told host Ramona Dearing that as of June 2015, the state of Colorado grossed $70-million of tax revenue from marijuana sales.

"It actually ousted their alcohol-based revenue. It's a major cash cow," said Barker.

Colorado's first retail marijuana stores opened on Jan. 1, 2014.

Gideon Barker was Wednesday's guest on CBC Radio's CrossTalk. (Christine Davies/CBC)

Last September, Justin Trudeau said while he was ready to move on legalizing marijuana, he was not comfortable with it being sold at corner stores.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has recently been promoting the idea of selling marijuana through provincial liquor outlets, echoing similar advice from Manitoba's Greg Selinger.

Barker said that he sees the logic of selling marijuana through a liquor dispensary, as a security system is already in place.

"You already have staff that are trained in recognizing people of certain ages, [and] trained to recognize addictions issues. But that being said, as far as a tax revenue basis and actually as far as regulations, I think it would be much better suited in a dispensary-based method," said Barker.

"If you compare it to what`s going on in Colorado right now, I think that we could almost duplicate the same method, in which you are only granted business licences if you are a grower," he said. "So that means that you're the one that's in charge of the plant that`s being distributed, which means you are legally responsible for that."

Province awaiting word from Ottawa

Provincial minister of finance Cathy Bennett, who is responsible for NLC, said liquor stores could be considered to sell marijuana here, if it's legalized in Canada.

She said if legalized, it could make sense to sell the drug through the NLC, based on its existing distribution and social responsibility systems.

"If there is a revenue opportunity, it would be illogical for me at this stage to say that that wouldn't be something that we would consider," said Bennett.

It actually ousted their alcohol-based revenue. It's a major cash cow. - Gideon Barker, recreational marijuana user

"However, the other side of the coin, as a mom and an elected official, we equally have responsibilities to make sure that if this is something that we are expected to do as part of the change the federal government makes, that we make it in the context of making sure that people are protected and that we do it in a very responsible way."

Bennett said to date, the province hasn't been provided with any direction from the federal government on the issue of legalization.

She said at this stage, she has a number of outstanding questions, which she hopes will be answered at a federal meeting in June.