Photos from Canada’s historic first day of recreational cannabis legalization
By MJBizDaily Staff - Updated
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Canada’s landmark day of legal recreational marijuana sales was a success for many companies and key industry players who had businesses operational in time for the overwhelming turnout of consumers on Oct. 17. Here is a selection of photos from across Canada as it became the first major industrialized nation to launch a recreational cannabis market.
Former Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton showed off the receipt from the first purchase at Canopy’s Tweed retail outlet in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. (Photo courtesy of Canopy Growth)
Trevor Fencott, CEO of Fire & Flower. said he was confident that the four stores his company opened in Alberta and Saskatchewan were adequately stocked to meet demand on Oct. 17. (Photo by Kelsey McMillan)
The Green Panda dispensary in Vancouver, British Columbia, stayed closed on Oct. 17 rather than operate without the required licensing in place. (Photo by Rick Butler)
Customers inside the Weeds Glass and Gifts store in Vancouver, British Columbia, perused the available cannabis products while others sat at tables to smoke their purchases. (Photo by Rick Butler)
An Evergreen Cannabis Society employee displayed the Vancouver, British Columbia, business’ surprise over the launch of Canada’s legal recreational marijuana market. (Photo by Rick Butler)
“It’s the end of prohibition, and we’re here. It’s a major achievement for Canada,” said Jeff Mooij, president of Four20 Premium Market. Mooij, pictured above (center), assisted one of the first customers in the space on Wednesday in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
“The world is watching. We’re going to do things legally and do things right and show the world how to legalize cannabis,” Jeff Mooij said as the first customers entered Four20 Premium Market in Calgary. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
Customers inside the Nova Cannabis store in Calgary. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
A Fire & Flower employee in Edmonton prepared displays in advance of the shop’s opening on Oct. 17. (Photo by Kelsey McMillan)
Some of the marijuana product that was available at Four20 Premium Market in Calgary. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
Customers crowded around marijuana product information at Nova Cannabis in Calgary. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
Customers line up to enter a cannabis store in Calgary on the first day of legal sales one year ago. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
A line wrapped around Fire & Flower, a retail cannabis chain in Edmonton and one of six stores that opened in the municipality on the first day of legal recreational sales. (Photo by Kelsey McMillan)
“The customers are going to tell us what the demand is,” noted Shelley Girard, vice president of brand strategy for Alcanna, which owns Nova. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
While companies in Canada are compliant with black and white branding requirements, Nova Cannabis said it will have other opportunities within the space for the marijuana brands to express who they are. “Consumers will help guide us on what brand message stories they want to hear,” said Shelley Girard, vice president of brand strategy for Alcanna. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
Customers celebrated as doors opened for the start of sales at Four20 Premium Market, one of two dispensaries launched on Oct. 17 in Calgary. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
“We still have product – we’re feeling good about our product supply. We are selling out of certain SKUs, but feeling like we will absolutely be able to accommodate everyone that’s in line,” Shelley Girard of Nova Cannabis reported. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
Ryker Rumsey stood in line at Four20 Premium Market with roughly 200 people who waited for doors to open. About 30-40 people were allowed into the store at once, according to a store spokesperson. (Photo by Lindsey Bartlett)
The Evergreen Cannabis Society storefront in Vancouver, British Columbia, welcomed customers to browse government-approved accessories on Oct. 17, even though the company was awaiting final licensing approval. (Photo by Rick Butler)
The Evergreen Cannabis Society in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced its applications for licenses and permits to legally open in Canada’s new recreational marijuana market. (Photo by Rick Butler)
Weeds Glass and Gifts in Vancouver remained open on Oct. 17 despite failing to receive the required licensing. (Photo by Rick Butler)
