Nova Scotia’s Premier is calling unregulated cannabis dispensaries ‘dangerous.’
In early December, the province said 118 illegal outlets were operating across Nova Scotia.
That number has risen, according to Justice minister Scott Armstrong, but he would not tell reporters in Halifax Thursday by how much.
Tim Houston was questioned on how the province came up with the number.
“Illegal drug dealers don’t tell the province where they’re setting up shop. We did a rough, conservative count to understand the scope of the problem, and this is a problem,” said Houston.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s 118 or 18 outlets, it’s illegal. We’re less concerned with the number, and more concerned with the fact that they’re operating.”
Houston says it’s an unregulated, untested market.
“If somebody has a bad hit, if you ask them what was in it, they don’t know. It’s illegal to operate these dispensaries, and that’s a fact that seems to be lost. It’s a big-big industry, with significant cash involved.”
Houston said if anyone thinks organized crime isn’t standing behind this business, he doesn’t know what to tell them.
Mi’kmaw chiefs dispute cannabis crackdown
In December, Justice minister Scott Armstrong wrote a letter to 13 Mi’kmaw chiefs, saying that all cannabis related activity must be under provincial framework.
RCMP raids of some outlets have created backlash from Mi’kmaw leaders, who say they have the right to self-governance through Treaty rights.
Sipekne’katik chief Michelle Glasgow went as far as to ban Houston, Armstrong and L’nu affairs minister Leah Martin from their lands, and said the cannabis directive was a threat to community safety.
Former Justice minister Becky Druhan, who left Houston’s caucus to sit as an independent, has also voiced concerns.
Druhan said there’s an urgent need for a collaborative approach that ensures safe community access and supports local economic participation.
