East-end pot shop reopens 1 day after police raid - Action News
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Toronto

East-end pot shop reopens 1 day after police raid

The owners of a Toronto pot shop plan to reopen their storefront operation today after it was raided by Toronto police on Wednesday.

'We do not believe in being bullied out of business,' cannabis activist Jodie Emery

Jodie Emery, the woman known as the 'Princess of Pot,' said she will not be 'bullied out of business' after her store and two others were raided by Toronto police on Wednesday. (CBC)

The co-owner of the Cannabis Culture pot shop on Queen Street East said she will not be "bullied out of business" after her store and two others were raided by Toronto police on Wednesday.

Jodie Emery, the woman known as the "Princess of Pot," reopen her store Thursday.

"They confiscated equipment, iPads, cannabis, money. They cut the power," Emery said of the police visit. "But we are going to be bringing in a generator, and we are going to resume sales."

About 15 officers were involved in the raid on her shop, Emery told reporters Thursday duringa press conference at her shop. Two other stores were also raided: The Green Room on Mount Pleasant Road and The Healing Centre on Dundas Street West.

Cannabis Culture pot shop is located on Queen Street East. It's one of many cannabis dispensaries that opened up in Toronto in recent months in anticipation of federal legislation that is expected to legalize and regulate the drug's sale. (CBC)

In total, nine people were arrested. Drug trafficking-related charges were laid against five of them, including:

  • Possession of a Schedule II Substance
  • Possession of a Schedule II Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking
  • Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime

Wednesday's raids came just two days after Toronto police arrested two men at another pot shopSection 56 on Danforth Avenueand seized marijuana, hash, oil and edible products.

In May, police raided43 Toronto dispensaries. On June 23, police showed up at four marijuana shops, including Cannabis Culture's Queen Street West location.

'If theres another raid, we will continue to reopen,' said Emery. (CBC)

Emery saidshe will continue to keep the stores open despite police action.

"If there's another raid, we will continue to reopen," she said. "And if they truly do lock the doors and force this location to shut down, we will find another location."

Emery spoke hours before Health Canada issued a statement outlining updated medical marijuana regulations. The federal agency said the new rules, which come into force on August 24, will allow Canadians who have a prescription for medical marijuana to grow a limited amount for their own use, or designate someone to produce it for them.

They will need to register with Health Canada.

Meanwhile, the federal government has said itplans to introduce new marijuana legislation next spring.