Two weeks after cannabis legalization, demand for pot is outpacing supply in Nova Scotia with some store shelves completely empty.
The only outlet in Cape Breton shut down for nine hours this week because it simply didn鈥檛 have enough weed.
Shoppers in nearby Sydney River, N.S. were able to purchase pot but some weren鈥檛 satisfied with the limited selection.
鈥淚 just had to get whatever they had there, pretty much,鈥� said customer Alex Musgrave. 鈥�(You) just take what you can get now, until they stock back up. They're really low.鈥�
Retailers and producers have seen a huge appetite for legal weed since Oct. 17, but some stores have had a tough time keeping up.
Beverly Ware, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), which legally sells cannabis, said having a full stock has become a concern.
鈥淭he issue we are dealing with is supply. So our priority is to get that supply secured and to receive the inventory we ordered back in August,鈥� she told CTV Atlantic.
鈥淯nderstandably, it's taken licensed producers some time to be able to get fully up and running and be able to meet their commitments,鈥� she said. Ware added she鈥檇 like the supply chain to run smoothly before making any adjustments to NSLC鈥檚 operations.
After the only dispensary in Cape Breton temporarily shut down, some shoppers suggested that setting up new locations on the island would ease the province鈥檚 growing pains.
One of them told CTV Atlantic that having a new pot shop in Whitney Pier, a popular urban neighbourhood in Cape Breton, would be 鈥渢he best location.鈥�
Rita MacLellan, another consumer, said there were more than enough people who鈥檇 be interested.
鈥淭here's so many people on this island, there should be more (stores here),鈥� she said. 鈥淭here should be one in Sydney, North Sydney, Glace Bay. I think there should be many.鈥�
Ware said says NSLC didn鈥檛 have a timeline for significant adjustments to their operations.
With a report from CTV Atlantic鈥檚 Kyle Moore
