VANCOUVER — In
the pot-friendly city of Vancouver, illegal marijuana dispensaries outnumber
Starbucks outlets, and among the most popular is Weeds, Glass and Gifts. There, in a relaxed space
reminiscent of the coffee chain, jovial “budtenders” sell coconut chocolate
bars infused with marijuana and customers smoke powerful pot concentrates at a
sleek dab bar.
When Canada legalized recreational marijuana, on Oct. 17, one of the central aims was to shut down the thousands of illegal dispensaries and black market growers dotting the country. But taming an illegal trade estimated at 5.3 billion Canadian dollars is proving to be daunting.
