If the Conservatives win the election, Leader Andrew Scheer said the party wonsa国际传媒檛 touch the marijuana legislation, rather it will further support the industrysa国际传媒檚 growth through ongoing medical research.
sa国际传媒淚 made the statement some months ago that a Conservative government would not change the legal nature of cannabis,sa国际传媒 Scheer said during his visit to Kelowna on Canada Day.
The Liberal governmentsa国际传媒檚 legalization of recreational cannabis was originally slotted for Canada Day in 2018, however, it wasnsa国际传媒檛 passed until October 17, 2018.
READ MORE: Okanagansa国际传媒檚 first legal cannabis store opens
Now, a year after the fact, the Okanagan welcomed its first cannabis store on Canada Day: SpiritLeaf.
sa国际传媒淚t is legal now and there are many people who work in various industries related to that, so we are going to maintain the legal status of cannabis,sa国际传媒 he said.
Thousands of jobs have been created in the new sector countrywide, Starbuds director of marketing Dan Winer said during the Kelowna Chamber of Commercesa国际传媒檚 Business of Cannabis 2.0 luncheon on June 25.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e created so many jobs,sa国际传媒 he said. sa国际传媒淣ot only in the Okanagan but across the country. And now, these Okanagan companies are going international.sa国际传媒
Lake Country is home to a number of cannabis manufacturers and extractors including Starbuds Cannabis, Indigenous Bloom Kelowna and Valens GroWorks Corporation and soon, once licenced by the provincial government, more than 15 cannabis retail outlets may open in Kelowna.
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But, like many others, Scheer said more work is to be done to ensure the booming new industry succeeds.
sa国际传媒淲e do think there is a lot of work required in terms of research and understanding the health dynamics of it,sa国际传媒 he said.
sa国际传媒淲e want to make sure the federal government is not just a partner but is leading the way on that as we learn what the ramifications of what legalization will mean for our society going into the future,sa国际传媒 Scheer said.
READ MORE: Pot legalization has been successful, but could be better: industry leaders
Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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