Five of the Cannabis Culture shops that were raided last month by Montreal police for selling pot will soon be getting a new lease on life.
Those stores will reopen as head shops, instead of pot dispensaries — and Jodie Emery, the B.C. activist who, with her husband Marc, are behind the Cannabis Culture brand, suggests they'll be slightly different than your average head shop.
"That's where you can buy books and magazines and vaporizers and rolling papers," she says, "and some of the locations may also have doctors on site, in offices, where people can pay to sign up for the medical marijuana program under Health Canada's rules."
She says the idea is to make it easier to sign up for the program, which she sees as restrictive and costly for some.
The Cannabis Culture stores opened in Montreal with much fanfare last Dec. 15. They were raided the following day by Montreal police, and Marc Emery was arrested and charged with possession and trafficking.
He's due to appear in court next month.
Initially, the couple had plans to open eight Cannabis Culture shops in Montreal. Their stores exist in other cities, including Vancouver, Toronto, and other cities across Canada.
The five that will reopen are at 2200 Mont-Royal Ave., 3804 St. Laurent Blvd, 1431B Bishop St., 4123 St. Denis St., and 1863 Amherst St.