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First and foremost, the retail sale of cannabis is going to be left to the private sector. While it happens to be the most logical option, it was an open question whether the NDP would embrace it. The private sector is best positioned to respond quickly to legalization and to ensure that stores are ready to go come July 1, 2018, to meet the demand.

Furthermore, while this is not exactly going to rescue Alberta’s ailing economy, it will provide a jolt. The industry is considerable, and bringing it on board – with all the legitimate jobs and investment it will create – will provide a much-needed economic boost. That must have provided an even more compelling political temptation for the government.

However, the Alberta government has opted to keep a corner of the market for themselves. The online retail of cannabis, at least for now, will be handled strictly through government-run websites. As to where the supply will come from – or who will handle the delivery – that remains unclear.

It’s also unclear what happens to the established licensed producers who are currently supplying medicinal users though online sales.

It’s unclear why those established licensed producers couldn’t simply provide the online sales component of the legal market. The Alberta government has argued that there could be concerns over age verification, but it may simply come down to dollars and cents.

For as much as the black market has figured out how to make cannabis profitable, and undoubtedly the private sector will too, this is apparently a difficult proposition for the government. Online sales could potentially be lucrative.