Crown attorney cites “abysmal” sanitary conditions

A Thunder Bay, Ont. woman faces seven charges for allegedly advertising and selling cannabis products via social media and producing those products in unsanitary conditions, according to TB News Watch. She was already on the police’s radar for an online business previously ordered closed.

The Thunder Bay Police Service executed a search warrant on May 20 at the woman’s residence, which “appeared to have been used as an illegal store which sold cannabis products, including edibles.” Some products were seized and the occupant taken into custody without incident, according to the police report.

Seven charges under the Cannabis Act were sworn in the next day, including possessing, producing, selling, distributing or importing anything with the intention to use it to produce, sell or distribute illicit cannabis, false promotion of cannabis, and selling or distributing cannabis in a way that is appealing to young persons.

What’s interesting about this case, however, is that the Crown attorney characterized the conditions in which the products were being produced as “abysmal.” This was being done “in an area where there were substantial feces, dog urine, just abysmal sanitary conditions that obviously indicate that there was a health hazard to whoever she was distributing these products to,” said Ron Poirier.

Residence appeared to have been used as an illegal store which sold cannabis products, including edibles. / Photo: jackmalipan / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Photo: jackmalipan / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Earlier this month, two people were charged after being warned, but still continuing to operate a non-essential business amid COVID-19.

Trevor Fencott, CEO of Fire & Flower, recently told The GrowthOp’s Kate Robertson the strong black market continues to threaten legal retailers and their ability to capture any increased demand related to COVID-19. In Canada, “75 per cent of cannabis-consuming Canadians continue to buy illicit products,” noted a recent briefing from McMillian LLP.