Dr. Simon Sherry, a clinical psychologist and professor at Dalhousie University, says the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation’s in-store signage is clearly misleading.
He tells Acadia News, Nova Scotians are only receiving partial and incomplete information.
“The information they are receiving is foregrounding the potentially positive effects of cannabis use. So unfortunately the NSLC in-store signage clearly deceives”
Sherry says the wider story that includes cannabis intoxication involving drowsiness, impaired coordination, anxiety and more.
“There’s a second major concern at play here. That is the NSLC cannabis signage is directly appealing to Nova Scotians by creating favourable associations between cannabis and relief, relaxation and fun.”
He says advertising works.
“If you repeatedly compare cannabis with feel-good experiences and you create the impression there’s no cost to cannabis use then cannabis use and associated problems will go up in Nova Scotia.”
He says many Canadians, like him, support the legalization of cannabis, but they don’t support the glamorization of cannabis.
Jennifer Gray a spokesperson for the NSLC says they are not glamorizing cannabis use.
“Absolutely not. We have a responsibility to sell cannabis in a responsible way, the same may we handle beverage alcohol. We’ve been selling a controlled substance since 1930 and we are going to apply the same thinking and principles to cannabis that we have for responsible sales.”
Gray says it would be irresponsible and a disservice to its customers if the NSLC didn’t describe the cannabis experience for them a little bit
“Cannabis is different than beverage alcohol. It affects the body and mind differently. When people purchase alcohol they know what to expect. Cannabis is different. We have to have our employees ready to have a dialogue with customers so they can make an informed choice about the products they’re going to buy from us.”
(Acadia News photo)
