Blackburn News – Kirk Dickinson – December 6, 2018

Citing government regulations, a medical cannabis lounge in Windsor’s downtown core has announced that it will be closing.

Higher Limits owner Jon Liedtke issued a statement Thursday evening and said the business will cease operation at the end of this year.

Liedtke said while the owners of Higher Limits would be willing risk receiving fines for operating their business, they have been notified and warned by the Windsor Essex County Health Unit that their customers will be liable as well, and could be ticketed.

“Higher Limits has been made aware that there are potential changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act coming in 2019, however, we are unfortunately unable to continue operations without being able to provide our core business function; providing medical cannabis users a safe place to consume their medication,” Liedtke said in the statement. “This is incredibly unfortunate as many of our customers are in a position where they are unable to consume their medical cannabis at their personal residences: students in dorms, parents who do not want to consume in front of their children, and many who live in apartments and condominiums who have seen changes to their leases.”

Higher Limits first opened three years ago and has welcomed over 125,000 patrons, according to Liedtke.