I supported all along a publicly controlled, public monopoly distribution system. Whether LCBO stores alone will be the best system, I think is in question. I question that personally.
I advocated for a hybrid model between public, LCBO-based sales and community storefront outlets primarily for the following reason. The success of legalization will, to a large extent, hinge on the what extent to which we can effectively bring current consumers from illegal markets and sources to legal sources, in practice—not on paper or in theory. In other words, if we design a distribution system now that is perfect on paper but is too strictly regulated, too sterile, too aloof from the realities and wishes and preferences, as subjective as these may be, of current users, then they will not go there, but keep buying illegal, hazardous, risky products from illegal markets and sources. Legalization will fail. It will have succeeded maybe in abstract theory, but it will have failed in practice. This is a crucial hinge variable of the success of this, whether we can bring users, all of them or as many as possible, from illegal markets and sources to the legal markets. Therefore, that part of the equation needs to succeed.
At this point, we don't know perfectly how to do that best and well. We have good theoretical ideas. I think some of the ideas are a bit misguided as currently designed, probably being overly restrictive and too sterile, but it remains to be seen. We need to try to see what happens, and if necessary, adjust. That may have to be a little, that may have to be a lot, but we have to bring people into legal distribution systems. If that doesn't happen, if we don't succeed, legalization, to a large extent, as a public health venture, will fail.