AM800 – TERESINHA MEDEIROS – December 7 2018

Higher Limits cannabis lounge in downtown Windsor is closing its doors and the co-owner is blaming the Ford government.

The business opened three years ago, to provide a safe place for medical cannabis patients to take their medication and it has served over 125,000 patrons.

But co-owner Jon Liedtke says new provincial regulations under the Smoke Free Ontario Act means it technically can’t operate.

Under the changes, it equates medical cannabis with tobacco and therefore medical cannabis can’t be consumed in a public place or workplace.

He says it is incredibly disappointing because the business has been successful.

“We have many customers who are unable to take their medication at their personal residence whether they live in a dormitory or an apartment or condo or even lets say they are a parent who doesn’t want to consume in front of their child,” says Liedtke.

As a result, the business will close by the end of 2018 putting up to seven people out of work.

Liedtke says the business was willing to fight any ticket imposed on it, but there was a further problem.

“We have been informed by the local health enforcement unit that they wouldn’t only be ticketing us as owners, but they would also be ticketing our employees and our customers, as such, we weren’t able to place them in jeopardy,” he says.

Liedtke says the decision was made about a week and a half ago.

It will have a closing inventory equipment sale December 27 to December 30.

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/higher-limits-in-downtown-windsor-to-close-its-doors-1.8602591