Essex pot shop being investigated by OPP for selling cannabis without required prescription

An Essex pot shop has been raided by OPP officials after customers said the store was selling marijuana without requiring a prescription.

Hemp Healthy Farmacywas said to be jumping the gun on the legalization of recreational marijuana consumption, according to customers who say staff only verified their age before accepting purchases.

The investigation is ongoing. OPP say charges will be laid at a later time.

CBCNews reached out toRonMcDermott, the mayor ofEssexfor an interview, but he was unavailable. The Town of Essex sent an email statement toCBC, saying the matter is a provincial and federal jurisdiction.

"The licensing and legally authorized growing, sale and consumption of cannabis or cannabis products is a matter of provincial and federal jurisdiction," the statement read.

"As always, we welcome any action which enforces criminal law and protects our community."

Employees react

"The guys that I work for are amazing people, they are definitely trying to help people get off opioids. We are medicating people, we are not trying to do anything illegal," employee Chelsey Stevenson said.

"We've had a lot of people come in that have said they've cut off of their opioids because of the medication we have suggested to them. And we just want everyone that is against it to know that we are only there to help you and not to do anything to harm you."

Scott Fletcher, a second employee, said he is a medical patient who has experienced positive effects in his life because of marijuana.

"The biggest joy of my job is helping elderly. People who come in who've never tried it before and are looking to be informed. Products that don't just get you high but actually serve a medical need. I mean, it's a flower guys."

Legalization on the horizon

Canadians will be able tolegally buy and consume recreational cannabis and cannabis productsOct. 17.

Leo Lucier, a cannabis activist, said police raids like this one are only a "waste of taxpayers' money."

Police investigations cost a lot of money but a bust like this won't go anywhere near the courts, he said, and advises police to just "sit back and wait."

"We're on the eve of legalization."

But police have no thoughts on doing that.

In a release sent Friday evening just after 8:30 p.m., Essex County OPP acknowledges that the federal government has passed legislation for the distribution and sale of marijuana for recreational use in Canada.

However, until the official legalization date, police say they will "continue to enforce current legislation."