Toronto's marijuana crackdown follows heavy lobbying by legal pot producers
TORONTO — This week’s crackdown on illegal marijuana dispensaries in Toronto comes after an intense lobbying campaign by licensed pot producers, who became alarmed by the brazen growth of the black market and the threat it poses to the industry.
Dispensaries began receiving hand-delivered notices from police on Wednesday, reminding them that their businesses are unlawful and they could face significant fines. These actions came less than a week after Mayor John Tory issued a letter calling dispensaries to be reined in.
“This is a long time coming,” said Cam Battley, chair of the advocacy committee for Cannabis Canada, an industry association for licensed pot companies.
“We warned the municipal government last fall that things were getting out of hand.”
The dispensaries have become a headache for licensed medical producers like Canopy Growth Corp. and Aphria Inc. They are selling far more product than the legal market, and are...
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