The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is considering amending regulations that require cannabis store owners to ensure pot can't be seen from the exterior of their shop. Signage for a cannabis dispensary is seen among other shops on Queen St. in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
TORONTO – The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is considering amending regulations that require cannabis stores to ensure pot can’t be seen from the exterior of their shop.
The provincial body that oversees the licensing of pot shops says it is collecting feedback on the visibility of cannabis to respond to safety concerns.
It says in an email to The Canadian Press that it will be collecting feedback until July 11 and it will notify stores at a later date should it decide to make changes to the regulations.
Restrictions limiting the visibility of cannabis from the exterior of stores are meant to ensure minors are not enticed by weed or pot accessories.
Most stores comply with the regulations by covering their doors and windows or building an interior wall that blocks the view of people passing by the exterior of the store.
A significant rise in robberies prompted Alberta’s cannabis regulator to allow stores to take down window coverings last summer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2023.
