cannabis toronto

Toronto is cracking down on illegal cannabis shops

Despite the recent opening of two Toronto cannabis stores, illegal shops continue to operate in the city. 

This may be in part due to the fact that the province has only allowed five shops to open in the city, and they're all located within a fifteen-minute transit ride of each other. 

It's paired with the fact that the province's online ordering system for cannabis has been fraught with delays, poor service, and mold problems

However, the shops that persist illegally are still exactly that—illegal. So, police are beginning and continuing harsh crackdowns on the ones that continue to operate. 

According to Mark Sraga, director of investigation services for municipal licensing and standards, 20 illegal pot shops are still in business around Toronto. 

He told CBC News that the city will begin a zero-tolerance policy. Under the policy and the Cannabis Control Act, city officers in Sraga's department will basically act as police, shutting down the shops as soon as possible. 

So, if you're still buying your weed at an illegal pot shop, it might be time to bite the bullet and get in the crazy lines at Hunny Pot or Ameri, and hope those lines die down soon. 

Lead photo by

Lauren O'Neil 


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