Paul Seaborn had front row seat for first full legalization plan in North America.

Paul Seaborn saw something happening all around Colorado that was worth studying, so he lobbied the University of Denver to let him teach a course on it. Seaborn, originally from Corner Brook, is now an assistant professor teaching the business of cannabis.

"There's never been this type of industry so everything that happens is a first and it's great for our students to be a part of that and to understand it," he said.

Seaborn was back in Newfoundland Tuesday for a conference at Memorial University on the challenges and opportunities of legal cannabis.

He dropped by the St. John's Morning Show to explain his work and what he teaches his students.

About two years ago, Chris Snellen was diagnosed with cancer of the tonsils as a result of the human papillomavirus.

When he broached the subject of a referral to the Canabo Medical Clinic in Churchill Square, his medical team balked at the idea.
“They said, ‘If you do everything we say, we have a scientific number of 80 per cent odds that you’re going to come out of this cancer-free. If you take marijuana during or before, then we don’t know what that’s going to do to your odds,’” Snellen says.

What a difference a year or so makes.

Right now, as we speak, criminal cases are wending their way through Canada’s court system for individuals who were caught running “dial-a-dope” businesses. In case you’ve not run into that term before, it’s people who run a phone service to sell drugs. You dial, place an order, set up a meeting, hand over the money and get the goods.

If it’s a police officer on the other end of the line instead of a regular customer, the handover might end up with the seller in jail.

Now, with the changes in cannabis laws, it looks like our provincial liquor monopoly is getting into the dial-a-dope business as well, but you’ll be dialing this dealer on the internet, and delivery will be even more convenient.

There are four, 12-inch industrial air filters attached to the ceiling of the Puffin Hutt at 268 Water St.

The air filters keep the smoke of customers at a reasonable level as they sit, relax and get stoned on cannabis they brought from home — the Puffin Hutt does not sell cannabis products.

In the mid-afternoon on Friday, about 80 cannabis enthusiasts were in the lounge, the former home of the Stetson and, most recently, Velvet Nightclub.

At 4:20 p.m. on April 20, the four, 12-inch industrial air filters were turned off.

Each customer lit their cannabis cigarette and let the smoke fill the room.

Shortly thereafter, the fog over St. John’s harbour was merely the second-thickest fog in the city.

Less fish, more 4/20 if one local entrepreneur has his way

Cannabis could be coming to the rescue of a Newfoundland fishing community that's been without an economic centre since Hurricane Igor laid waste to the area in 2010. 

Port Union's old Ocean Choice International fish plant could soon be used to plant marijuana. 

The disused building is in the final stages of a sale to local businessman Daniel Porter, who is planning to turn it into a cannabis growing facility for medicinal and recreational pot.

"This means the world to me," Porter said.

"I love that I can come home and create work and have an impact on the community … it affects people's lives and children's lives, and it creates a massive employment spinoff."

The provincial government is seeking public input on new marijuana legislation set to come into effect in little over a year.

Justice Minister Andrew Parsons says government has launched a website to allow people to have their say on what they’d like to see.

He says questions include age restrictions, where it should be sold, and what other restrictions are necessary once the use of marijuana is legalized.

What Parsons calls “targeted stakeholders” will be separately surveyed.

They will include the medical community and business interests. He uses the age restrictions as an example, whereby they weigh what the public thinks is a good age, against medical evidence.

The online survey, which will be open until June 30.