A review of Cannabis Culture head shops in Canada
Cannabis Culture is one of the largest marijuana chains in the world with locations everywhere from Vancouver, British Colombia to Hamilton, Ontario. Since they are also one of the most popular, likely due to the popularity of their owner Marc Emery, we decided to take a peek into what each location currently offers, and how business is doing now that marijuana has become legal in Canada.
Cannabis Culture Vancouver
What was once the largest store and lounge owned by Cannabis Culture officially closed its doors on January 31, 2019. The lounge that was located at 1674 Davie Street lost its battle with the Supreme Court and is being forced to close for good. While the store owner has petitioned for an emergency grant to continue to provide services to medical clients, those requests so far have gone ignored. Unfortunately, the dispensary portion of the facility was the reason for its closing which was also what drew in the most customers. As most lounges and head shops currently open do not allow for indoor consumption of marijuana and do not sell cannabis or cannabis derived-products. Their second location at 307 Hastings, however, is still wide open for business. Unfortunately, you will not find any cannabis products there like many other Cannabis Culturelocations in the past. Here you will find all sorts of paraphernalia including bongs, pipes, papers, dabbing tools and more.
Cannabis Culture Ottawa
Another that has been forced to permanently close its doors considering new legislation that would not allow the store to obtain proper licensing to continue to function. This location was a dispensary that did not encourage the lingering of customers or the smoking of cannabis within their store. The doors at 391A Bank Street in Ottawa, Ontario are now locked and barred, with no sign of any hope for reopening in the future. After losing their battle to fight an eviction that was upheld in court. Though the company did sign a five-year lease in 2019 with the clear intention of selling marijuana, that fact was irrelevant once they were found to be conducting illegal activities on the premises.
Cannabis Culture Toronto
The Toronto location at 241 Queen Street was also forced to shut down shortly after the future for cannabis legalization was formally announced. The infamous Prince of Pot was forced out of this location on March 12, 2017 andcharged with intent to distribute. Since then the building has remained empty. Unfortunately, this was the only Cannabis Culture storefront in all of Toronto.
Cannabis Culture Montreal
This rare gem of a dispensary is still left running at 970 Laurent Street in Montreal Quebec. If you are lucky enough to be able to experience this establishment than I highly recommend you take it. The location is wheelchair accessible and offers access to over 80 different strains for purchase. Also available is a comfortable lounge with rentable vape fountains that come free as long as you provide a $25 deposit. Though it may be one of the smaller Cannabis Culture stores to open, it offers a comfortable and friendly atmosphere that encourages both the culture and the mingling of like-minded individuals.
Cannabis Culture Hamilton
Hamilton is often referred to as dispensary central, with illegal dispensaries functioning out in the open this city holds nearly five dispensaries for every single block. This location at 275 King Street East had ceased operations for almost a year in an attempt to avoid the lashing of the federally motivated OPP raids of nearly all other dispensaries. The city of Hamilton has decided to take a much laxer approach and leave black market dispensaries open for now. Once you step inside, you will be greeted by a friendly member of their staff who will be more than happy to help you find the ideal seed or dry herb. They always have at least one person on hand who is thoroughly educated on the individual strains and their effects, and over 40 different strains available for purchase. Though their future is uncertain, they are maintaining great service and an excellent selection for customers that travel from all corners of Canada for the chance to experience such an upscale dispensary.
Despite some loyal fans and customers that are dedicated to the brand, the Cannabis Culture franchise has taken a terrible hit now that over 95% of their storefronts have forced to close. This is just one of many companies that was started by the very same people who helped us get to legalization and fair access. So far, the laws in Canada governing the sales and distribution of marijuana have left some of the most prominent game-changing players out of the loop, leaving many Canadians questioning the effectiveness of current cannabis legislation. For Cannabis Culture to make a full comeback, the laws surrounding the branding of marijuana products would have to change drastically. Only time will tell if reopening stores will ever be a viable option again.
