Smoke weed every day? Free weed for a year contest gets N.L. politicians talking regulations

A smoke shop in downtown St. John's found itself at the centre of the legalization debate in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.

On Tuesday Tory MHA Jim Lester brought up Mary Janes Smoke Shop's "Free Weed for a Year Contest" and questioned if it's legal to offer up a product that hasn't been legalized yet. 

"We are less than three months away from it being legal," Lester said to reporters following Tuesday's question period.

"I think it's high time that this administration have the regulations and have the parameters around how we are going to implement this into our society figured out by now."

Mary Janes, who has three stores in Nova Scotia and one in St. John's, is offering up a year's supply of marijuana to four lucky customers — one from each store.

That means there's a guaranteed winner in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

An employee at Mary Janes who spoke to the CBC said the company had no comment about the contest, or Lester's comments at Confederation Building. 

The draw for the winners is set to take place on the day when marijuana is legalized, which won't be until the summer. 

'I don't see the clarity there'

Lester, who said he will not be entering the contest, told reporters he's gotten calls from concerned citizens and employers about the lack of legislation.

"It's our government that's going to be administering it through the [Newfoundland Liquor Corporation] and they are the ones who are really going to tie the rules together," he said.

"Right now I don't see that clarity there, and I think the general population is with me on that."

'Far be it for me to say today that this contest is not legal'

Finance Minister Tom Osborne addressed the legality of Mary Janes's contest in a scrum following question period, pointing out that it's a "new area" for government. 

"If they are not supplying it until it becomes legalized and if they provide it through a legalized retailer, and purchase it legally, who am I to say they've done something illegal," he said. 

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Osborne, who said he will not be entering the contest either, told the media his party doesn't know if Mary Janes will be a licensed marijuana retailer, but added that contests offering free products aren't unusual. 

He cited a recent contest held by the Molson Coors Brewing Company in 2017 that offered free beer for a year. 

Osborne said he didn't see a contest like this coming, but that it will be something the province will deal with. 

"There are going to be lots of bumps in the road as we deal with cannabis and the legalization of cannabis," said Osborne.

"There are going to be lots of questions about what's right, what's not right, what's legal. Far be it for me to say today that this contest is not legal."

Late Tuesday afternoon, news broke in Nova Scotia that the Halifax police are looking into the Mary Janes contest.

A spokesperson for the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is looking into what police in this province are doing about it, and hopes to have an answer on Wednesday.