Nipissing First Nation now has its first cannabis dispensary

Cannabis

According to Ifpress, Nipissing First Nation resident granted cannabis retail licence, “It’s been a long time coming,” co-owner Curtis Avery told the North Bay Nugget. “We wanted to bring that to the… First Nation. So we’ve been on it for a long time and I’m happy that today, we’ve achieved something that we’ve been working hard at,” Avery said.

While other dispensaries are expected to open in the area sometime in the near future — both a Tokyo Smoke location, expected to open as soon as this month, and Northern Zen cannabis are still navigating the licensing process — Kana Leaf is believed to be the first pot shop in operation on Nipissing First Nation and in the surrounding North Bay region.

Family-owned Kana Leaf, which is run by Avery and four others from the First Nation, received a substantial number of cannabis enthusiasts during its opening this past Saturday morning, which owners hope is a sign of thing to come.

The shop is currently stocking various cultivars of dried flower, oils and accessories, and although edibles are currently off the table, Avery is optimistic that the shop may convince the community of the potential benefit of the products in the near future

Nine months ago, it developed its own set of cannabis laws, with Chief Scott McLeod decrying the rules under the federal Cannabis Act to be prejudiced. The new rules mandated a fee on the sale of cannabis products to be invested in the health of the community, banned products such as edibles that could be mistakenly consumed by a child and set the minimum age to purchase pot products at 21, compared to 19 in most provinces.

Nipissing First Nation also recently broke ground on a new cultivation and processing facility that is set to bring 80 new jobs to the region. Construction on the facility is expected to be completed by January 2021, and job applications will be accepted as soon as this summer.

Read More at source: Ifpress