With legal marijuana imminent, Guthrie says he is still looking for answers as to what the city’s role will be when it comes to enforcement, and what assistance it will receive from higher levels of government.

“What are municipalities expected to do, and respond to and to deal with?” he asked.

“If there are some unintended consequences to having this within, not just Guelph but in many cities, what kind of support mechanisms, either in resources or in finances, are we going to be receiving to help us deal with these issues on a local level?”

Among the supports Guthrie says he would like to see is public education on cannabis use and any consequences that could stem from it.

While the mayor sees a changing attitude when it comes to recreational cannabis use, and understands the Liberal government was elected federally with legalization as a key part of its platform, Guthrie says he is still wary of what it will mean for Guelph and the rest of the country.

“I am concerned about some of the unintended consequences and, equally, I am concerned about some of the messaging that we are giving to young people, that somehow these substances are OK,” he says.

“As a parent, I’m not too thrilled about it, but I am here as the mayor to respond to what is being implemented by other levels of government and we’re going to have to deal with that collaboratively as we move forward.”

Bringing a craft beer attitude to cannabis sales

Ryan Clark, the manager for Cannabis Supply Co.’s Guelph location, has previously expressed his desire to get into the recreational market.

The store, which helps prospective patients set up appointments with physicians willing to prescribe medical marijuana, could have been a licensed outlet for cannabis sales, Clark says.

“In my opinion, there should be opportunities for private enterprise to apply to become an agency store,” Clark says, pointing to how some stores in rural communities can currently apply to become agency stores for the LCBO to sell alcohol.

“That might be an opportunity for us to help keep up with the demand.”

Clark’s concerns over supply are not unfounded.

When Nevada legalized recreational cannabis earlier this year, dispensaries were running out of product within a week, leading Governor Brian Sandoval to endorse a state of emergency from the state’s Department of Taxation, allowing them to consider more permits for distribution, transport and cultivation of marijuana, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

“I believe that there will be a shortage next year,” Clark says.

“In about five years, it will be readily available and the prices should drop significantly at that point.”

Clark says that, when it comes to the sale of recreational cannabis, the provincial government should have looked at a framework that has already been shown to be successful — the craft beer market.

“I really think there should be some flexibility for small-to medium-sized growers to have the opportunity to sell their product, provided it can be tested by a third-party laboratory,” he says.

Clark added that, with recreational cannabis becoming legal and storefront purchases being allowed, there are questions on the sale of medical marijuana. Currently, those with a prescription must be registered and ordered from a licensed producer, which then mails the product to the patient.

Clark says he would like to see medical cannabis sold in the same way as other prescription medication is now — in person.

“They haven’t announced if pharmacies will have the exclusive right to distribute medicinal cannabis, but because we do have a good reputation and we are pretty knowledgeable about different dosing methods and different strains, and what symptoms that they help treat, we should be a good contender for that.”