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Private retailers who want to sell legal marijuana in Alberta next July 1 won’t be able to do so alongside alcohol, or even a bag of chips.

Under proposed rules introduced by the province Thursday, retailers will be restricted to sales of cannabis and cannabis-related goods such as lighters and rolling papers.

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There’s no word on how much legal marijuana will cost, but 420 Clinic founder Jeff Mooij says that won’t matter to consumers.

As a medical marijuana clinic owner and cannabis user, Mooij said Thursday there is an appetite for clean, safe, regulated weed in Alberta — it’s not about paying less than black market drugs, but knowing where the product is coming from.

“Demand will be huge,” he said.

Mooij intends to apply for a retail licence and envisages long lines and shelves emptying at lightning speed on July 1, as has been the experience in the U.S.

“What we need to worry about is that we have enough product in this province to facilitate (legalization),” he said, calling on the federal government to increase production licences.