Business booming as Winnipeggers line up for legal cannabis

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This article was published 17/10/2018 (2935 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeggers were keen to buy legalized cannabis today online and in line.

Matthew Dahl was the first retail customer to purchase cannabis at the Delta 9 store in Winnipeg.

“I said give me one of those and one of those — I wasn’t picky,” said Dahl who was in a hurry. He had been waiting in line in the cold since 7 a.m. and had to go to the bathroom.

He spent around $25 on a gram of Keats and a gram of Galiano. He was looking forward to sampling his purchases at home.

“I have the day off,” he said.

The mood was jubilant outside the dispensary on Dakota Street before it opened its doors at 10 a.m.

“Merry legalization day!” said one young man waiting with two friends for the store to open. The three friends did not want to be named.

“There’s still a stigma,” said one of them — a 23-year-old female university student.

“It’s history in the making said one young man who was part of a trio waiting and shivering in the dark in a subcompact car. He said he works in health care.

“It’s nice to come to a local producer,” said the pot shopper, who wanted to remain anonymous.

“We want to support cannabis culture,” said his friend, another health-care worker. “It’s about communication, sharing and being genuine — more calm and more chill.”

The trio, who had the day off, was planning to visit the Tokyo Smoke store in St. Boniface after shopping at Delta 9.

In front of the St. Vital store, and proud to be the first in line, Steven Stairs, Matt Segstro and Anthony Klatt had been camped out in front of Delta 9 since 6 p.m. Tuesday waiting for it to open.

They hunkered down eager to greet the legalization of recreational cannabis.

“I’m going to do a review later today,” said Stairs, a pot enthusiast and critic.

Online, Delta 9 sold out by 4 a.m.

“We had 400 orders in the first hour,” said Delta 9 CEO John Arbuthnot.

“I went online at 12:01 (a.m.) and I was the 90th order,” he said.

A new shipment arrived by 6 a.m.

“It’s amazing,” said Arbuthnot who was helping to unpack boxes of cannabis. The company had $1.5 million in stock.

“We’re hoping that’s going to last a few days,” said the 28-year-old Winnipegger.

“Hopefully, we’ll get through the weekend.”

Inside the store’s vault, stacks of strains like Sensi Star, Diesel, Keats and Galiano packed in cardboard boxes line the walls.

The average online shopper ordered $100 worth of product, Delta 9 spokesman Gary Symons said inside the vault before the store opened to a growing lineup of eager shoppers Wednesday morning.

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The company is expecting shipments of “a few hundred kilograms” of cannabis in the next few weeks, said CEO Arbuthnot.

He compared the historic importance of the day to Dec. 5, 1933 and the end of Prohibition.

“It’s amazing. This was kind of surreal,” said Arbuthnot.

For the early-morning crowd at Tim Hortons, the legalization of marijuana was more “ho-hum” than a “hurray.”

“I’m not concerned,” said Nissa Chmilowsky, 49. “The only ones it affects are people who already smoke cannabis,” she said.

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020.

   Read full biography