By Jessie Weisner

Stores having trouble keeping cannabis stocked

Oct 24, 2018 | 5:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB  — “Trying to get stock right now is just like jumping on a fumbled football,” says Keith Ahlm, owner of Westside Weed. “It’s very difficult but I’m doing my best to get as much as I can.”

All three cannabis stores in Medicine Hat are currently having major issues stocking nearly any product.

The stores made large orders before opening last Wednesday, but most of that stock sold out by the end of the week.

“That first order was sold out Sunday night,” says Ahlm. “Demand was way higher than I think anyone expected, I think half of medicine hat came in here.”

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

“The high THC product was sold out in about 24 hours,” says Patrick Wallace, owner of Waldo’s 420. “We managed to stay open but mostly with CBD products and oils and capsules.”

Both Waldo’s 420 and Westside Weed managed to make another order to stock the shelves for this week, but Green Exchange wasn’t so lucky.

Their doors are closed, displaying a note apologizing to customers, and hopes of being back open by Saturday.

All retail stock comes from the AGLC, who says they’re just not getting enough from their 15 licensed suppliers.

“We are receiving regular shipments from them,” says Chara Goodings, communications with AGLC. “They’re not as much as we had expected and aren’t as much as in the contracts we have with them.”

Goodings adds that they’re actively looking for new suppliers, and are taking news steps to increase what they ship out to retailers.

“We are taking some stock set aside specifically for online sales and distributing it out to retailers,” says Goodings.

However, according the owner of Waldo’s 420, it’s not enough, especially because 16 new cannabis retail licenses were just granted in Alberta.

Although he’s been able to acquire roughly 50 per cent more dry bud than he had last week, he says it’s no easy feat.

“We’re just keeping up by checking the website and ordering whenever a product becomes available,” says Wallace. “It’s not exactly the best supply situation but we’re getting through.”

The AGLC says sales on AlbertaCannabis.org have slowed down, and that this industry is in its early stages, so there’s going to be some growing pains.