One Plant cannabis comes to the Glebe

One Plant cannabis dispensary opened in May in the Amica building on Bank Street, the sixth cannabis store in the Glebe.The dispensary sells flower, pre-rolls, edibles and concentrates, among other products.   Photos: Annie Doane

By Annie Doane

Walking down the streets of the Glebe, one of the newest storefronts you will see is the One Plant cannabis dispensary located in the new Amica building on Bank Street. Opened on May 13, the dispensary sells legal marijuana for recreational purposes and features flower, pre-rolls, edibles and concentrates among other products.

After being under construction for quite some time, the finished product is a minimalist, modern interior that provides a fresh, relaxing and straightforward shopping experience.

If you are in hurry or just don’t like shopping in stores, you can also order through the easy-to-navigate One Plant website and pick up your order at their location.

This dispensary opened after several others in the area, such as Plateau, High Ties, the Good and Superette, the boom undoubtedly due to the growing popularity and de-stigmatization of cannabis.

Since the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2018, the number of dispensaries in the city has grown exponentially in almost every neighbourhood. Emalee Smith, the store manager of One Plant Glebe, believes that it is beneficial to get cannabis from experts at these dispensaries.

“I feel that we can help end the stigma and actually give the proper advice to people,” she says. “Having a place where someone can go and ask questions and just learn about the industry face to face rather than just read online can go a long way. We all love selling cannabis, educating people, and all of us here are very passionate about the plant. One Love, One Plant.”

Smith explains that the reaction from guests coming into the store has been mostly positive, and the only critical comments have come from those who do not approve of cannabis use. She also says and that their location under the Amica building plays a role in their clientele.

“I feel it has influenced our clientele a little bit. We see people who have just turned 19 and excited to make their first legal purchase . . . and we also see the cannabis OGs (originals) who will share all their experiences and things they’ve learned from the past 50-plus years. We also now have a wonderful retirement community who are either just trying it for the first time or would like to come downstairs and have a chat.”

Cannabis consumers in the Glebe are also welcoming to the new storefront. University student Olivia Little, a One Plant customer, thinks it is great that cannabis use is less of a scandal.

“There is a lot of value in normalizing recreational marijuana use. We have LCBOs in almost every community, why should marijuana be any different?” she says. “People are going to smoke/consume weed no matter what, so dispensaries are so important because they ensure that the product you are getting is safe.”

Little also said that she always has a good experience when she visits One Plant, and it reminds her of her favourite dispensary in her hometown.

“The lovely people working in there are always helpful and friendly, even to complete beginners who may feel like they are asking silly questions.”

The budtenders working at One Plant and other dispensaries in Ontario must complete CanSell courses to work in the industry. This is to ensure that cannabis sales are handled in a safe and responsible manner and adhere to provincial and federal guidelines. So, when you ask for help, you can breathe easy knowing that you are getting knowledgeable and experienced advice.

The One Plant staff, especially Smith, are excited to join the Glebe community. She explains that they are always open to new opportunities.

“Personally, my goal is to be more involved with the Glebe community. Right now, I am looking for events or businesses that we might be able to partner with and hopefully get each other’s names out there!”

So if you happen to pass by the store while out and about, come in and say hello! As long as you are over 19 of course.

One Plant Glebe is located at 900 Bank Street, Unit 150 and is open Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m to 8 p.m. You can find them online at oneplant.ca/location/ottawa-glebe.

Annie Doane is a journalism student at Carleton University.

 

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