The shelves are stocked at 19+ Cannabis in downtown Nanaimo. The store is the first legally licensed cannabis retail store on the mid island (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
pot talk

Nanaimo’s first licensed cannabis store open for business

Dec 2, 2019 | 3:00 PM

NANAIMO — The first legal cannabis store on the mid island is open for business, capping a marathon application process.

19+ Cannabis opens its doors Tuesday, Dec 3 at its Victoria Cres. location, marking the first of what’s expected to be many licensed cannabis stores entering the Nanaimo market in the coming months.

Co-owner James Maxwell said transitioning from planning to selling product is exciting in the wake of a 13-month licensing process with the City and province.

“It’s quite a huge task and huge undertaking,” Maxwell said. “We were expecting that to take time and it did. I think that’s understandable with the scope of this.”

Maxwell said the locally owned and operated store will offer dried bud, pre-rolled joints, oils, capsules and oral sprays.

Twenty cannabis retail store applications have been made to the city so far with six other locations receiving final Council approval, according to the City of Nanaimo.

However, only 19+ Cannabis was given the green light from the BC Cannabis and Regulation Branch to operate and a business license from city hall.

All products sold at licensed cannabis retail stores in Canada are subject to rigorous Health Canada approved testing.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com
On Twitter: @reporterholmes