Montrealers should buckle up for the legalization of marijuana, one of the campaign promises made by newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The switch could put a shine back on Montreal's long-fading tourism industry.
Tourism seems to be the big factor in the legalization, as provincial tax revenues are relatively minor.
Colorado, home to 5.3 million people is expected to bag $70 million in taxing pot sales this year.
Consider that subsidized daycare in Quebec costs 37 times that total, at its fast-increasing cost of $2.6 billion per year.
So the $70 million, while nothing to spit at, is relatively insignificant.
However Colorado saw tourism dollars increase, as a new study suggests that legalization sparked 2.1 million trips and $2.6 billion in traveler spending.
The state's tourism director disputed the idea that people were coming to Colorado for marijuana, however, noting that the very same study indicated that only eight percent of visitors reported visiting a marijuana dispensary and only seven percent considered marijuana to be a major draw.
Montreal has a far greater tourist catchment area than Colorado, as 56 million people reside in northeast United States, a region far more dense than any part of the country.
Colorado is significantly more remote, as its sprawling surrounding region, known as the Mountain States (Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) is home to just 23 million.
So if Canada acts fast enough Montreal could cash in on marijuana tourism, at least until prohibition ends in the United States.
Municipalities and boroughs of Montreal should start considering their approach to marijuana.
Some struggling areas might consider branding themselves as marijuana-friendly zones.
St. Joseph Street in Lachine, Ste. Anne Blvd in Ste. Anne's come to mind.
Such areas could consider allowing people to smoke weed in various designated public areas and and encouraging weed boutiques and dispensaries to move in and fill up the empty storefronts.
Tourism seems to be the big factor in the legalization, as provincial tax revenues are relatively minor.
Colorado, home to 5.3 million people is expected to bag $70 million in taxing pot sales this year.
Consider that subsidized daycare in Quebec costs 37 times that total, at its fast-increasing cost of $2.6 billion per year.
So the $70 million, while nothing to spit at, is relatively insignificant.
However Colorado saw tourism dollars increase, as a new study suggests that legalization sparked 2.1 million trips and $2.6 billion in traveler spending.
The state's tourism director disputed the idea that people were coming to Colorado for marijuana, however, noting that the very same study indicated that only eight percent of visitors reported visiting a marijuana dispensary and only seven percent considered marijuana to be a major draw.
Montreal has a far greater tourist catchment area than Colorado, as 56 million people reside in northeast United States, a region far more dense than any part of the country.
Colorado is significantly more remote, as its sprawling surrounding region, known as the Mountain States (Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) is home to just 23 million.
So if Canada acts fast enough Montreal could cash in on marijuana tourism, at least until prohibition ends in the United States.
Municipalities and boroughs of Montreal should start considering their approach to marijuana.
Some struggling areas might consider branding themselves as marijuana-friendly zones.
St. Joseph Street in Lachine, Ste. Anne Blvd in Ste. Anne's come to mind.
Such areas could consider allowing people to smoke weed in various designated public areas and and encouraging weed boutiques and dispensaries to move in and fill up the empty storefronts.
I suspect that marijuana edibles will become more popular than smoking, since inhaling any foreign substance will continue to remain a health risk.
ReplyDeleteThe downside to edibles, however, is that the "candified" ones could be deliberately fed to the unwary as a prank, not to mention children raiding the cookie jar and who would then end up bouncing off the walls giggling themselves silly while oblivious to their undone homework that they tossed into the corner of their unmade bedrooms, or who might go riding off on their bicycles high as a kite.
No doubt society will need to take considerable precautions in this Brave New World ahead.