OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is expressing outrage over media reports that Premier Doug Ford will allow cannabis sales in private stores.

OPSEU President Warren Thomas, in a press release on Friday, July 27th, expressed concerns over the recent reports that Premier Doug Ford may be announcing private cannabis sales in Ontario.

“What on earth are they smoking at Queen’s Park?” Thomas asked. “This would be a bonanza for organized crime. They could legitimately get licenses to distribute cannabis – and get very wealthy doing it. Does the Premier’s definition of ‘little guy’ include mobsters and other criminals?”

Post-election, Premier Ford indicated he would enter into consultation on the potential to privatize cannabis sales in the province. Previously Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government had built the system based on a public only model that would see the newly created Ontario Cannabis Stores acting as a sole distributor of cannabis in the province. However, concerns have been raised about the provinces ability to meet demand in October.

The Ontario Cannabis Stores would be run similar to the LCBO, which some feel would ensure the drug would be kept out of the hands of underage consumers. “Each year, hundreds of thousands of customers are refused service. That means uncounted lives saved and tragedy averted,” Thomas said. “That level of responsibility simply can’t be enforced in thousands of private dispensaries.”

Thomas also pointed to the nightmarish cost to the provincial and municipal governments for policing and enforcement. “I said it before, the privatization of cannabis sales is a stupid idea,” Thomas added. “During the provincial campaign, Ford reaffirmed the provincially run model after musing about privatization. So he flipped, he flopped and now, after consultation with the criminal element, he’s flipped again.

An official announcement from the Premier is said to come this week regarding cannabis sales in the province.