The executive director of Cannabis Growers of Canada is calling on government to open the door to craft cannabis, in an editorial published today.
Ian Dawkins wrote that craft cannabis, grown by small businesses and individuals outside of a large corporate structure, has an important role to play as the Liberal government moves to legalize.
“Canada stands at a crossroads in cannabis legalization: we can create another miserable, illogical monopoly, selling massed-produced, low quality cannabis, or we can proudly embrace what we at the Cannabis Growers of Canada call craft cannabis,” Dawkins wrote.
According to Dawkins, average Canadians don’t have an issue with adults consuming cannabis and it should be treated like alcohol, where craft beer and wine markets have become vital elements of the economy.
“Canada has already embraced our craft beer and local wine sectors, recognizing correctly that if people want to drink beer and wine, we should embrace that fact and let our micro-brewing and winery sectors flourish,” Dawkins said. “The explosion in the Canadian craft brewing sector, and the continued success of the Okanagan and Niagara wine tourism sectors, speaks to the fundamental truth at play here.”
With proper allowances for craft production, Dawkins imagined an environment similar to Colorado, where he said the state had its highest year of tourism revenues ever, $19 billion, following legalization.
“A craft cannabis economy that capitalizes on powerful brands like ‘B.C. Bud’ could bring a similar boon to the Canadian tourism economy,” Dawkins said.
The recent Allard ruling has allowed for continued home-growing and Dawkins said Canadians will continue to consume craft cannabis across the country.
“Isn’t it time we embraced that reality, and accepted craft cannabis as just another productive, valuable part of our economy?”