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)

By Ian Holmes

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.

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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