The black market for cannabis should remain until supply problems are resolved: NS Researcher – Halifax

A Nova Scotian researcher said the cannabis black market would last as long as chronic cannabis shortages persist in the legal retail market.

Stephen Schneider, an associate professor of criminology at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, says the underground markets are very resilient and able to adapt to change.

"Buyers will continue to go to the black market," Schneider said in an interview Halifax Morning World News.

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Schneider cited the persistence of the underground tobacco and alcohol markets as examples of similar resilient markets responding to the vices of Canadians.

"Although they are legal, there is also a significant black market for both," he said.

"Mainly because of the price difference. You can smuggle liquor or cigarettes into Canada and sell them much cheaper than legitimately. "

Schneider says that for Canadians to be encouraged to buy cannabis in the legal market, governments must lobby to educate the public about the harms of cannabis.

Legalization has already had an effect on the black market.

Schneider says that since the legalization of October 17, the price of one gram of cannabis on the black market has increased from about $ 8 to $ 7, a significant discount of $ 10 to $ 12 per gram in the legitimate retail market. .

The legalization of cannabis has even changed the quality of the product offered.

"The power has increased," added Schneider. "So the product is better, but cheaper."

He says there are similarities in how the two markets produce cannabis, often sharing the same technologies or methods.

But Schneider admits that the legalized retail market provides assurances that the illicit market can not be comparable to what some people might be worth.

"If you buy organic marijuana, you can rest assured that it's actually organic," he said.