By Canadian Press

Legal challenge seeks to overturn Quebec ban on cannabis T-shirts, other products

Apr 15, 2021 | 11:47 AM

MONTREAL — A Quebec Superior Court judge is hearing the final day of arguments in a head shop’s challenge of a provincial law that bans the sale of cannabis-themed products.

The co-owner of Prohibition, a chain of smoking accessory stores based in the Montreal area, says it doesn’t make sense that he had to stop selling T-shirts with images of cannabis leaves and books about the drug after legalization in 2018.

Christopher Mennillo says in an interview he went to court because he considers the law a violation of his freedom of expression.

Quebec’s cannabis law bans the sale of products — except for cannabis itself — with a “design, image or slogan” directly associated with cannabis.

A Quebec government lawyer argued this morning that the provincial law is similar to bans on tobacco advertising.

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The government’s position is that banning the sale of items that might entice young people to try cannabis outweighs the harms to retailers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press