Canada could be home to the world’s first airport pharmacy

A retail cannabis store may soon open at the airport in Prince George, British Columbia, making it the first cannabis store to open at an airport in the world.

Cannabis retailer Copilot has met the regulatory requirements of Transport Canada and the Province of BC and is now seeking a city license to open its doors to business.

On Jan. 11, the city council approved the first two readings of a bylaw amending the airport’s zoning ordinance to allow for the sale of cannabis.

According to a local news outlet, the readings passed unanimously with little discussion. Copilot’s motion must undergo a third reading and public hearing before the council makes a final decision. A date has not yet been announced.

The cannabis retail store would cater to travelers within Canada, as travelers are allowed to bring up to 30 grams of cannabis on domestic flights as long as they are of legal age.

The Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA) announced today that Copilot, a pioneer in cannabis for travel, has applied for a business license to operate with YXS.

Click the link below to read the full press release.https://t.co/0Qbd0cyZyh

— YXS — Airport PG (@FlyYXS) January 7, 2022

The deal would not cater to foreign travelers since it is illegal to ship cannabis across federal borders. The Copilot store would be located in an unsecured area of ​​the airport terminal, which would also make it accessible to non-travellers.

Copilot was founded by Owen Ritz and Reed Horton, who were classmates at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The men were also teammates on the track team that traveled to various meetings.

They found that while many people depend on cannabis to relieve travel-related stress, cannabis is not available at airports, even in countries where its use is legal.

This realization prompted them to start their business initiative. “We started reaching out to airports in February 2020 and have had really good feedback,” Ritz told Leafly.

He said the Prince George airport appealed to her in part because it’s relatively small, which gives it a sense of community. “Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA) stood out from day one,” he said. “They loved it.”

Prince George Airport Authority receptive

“[Ritz and Horton] had a solid business plan that met our expectations for new business partners,” said PGAA President and CEO Gordon Duke, explaining why he was open to leasing Copilot retail space. “We welcome the opportunity to work with Copilot to expand the services available to our passengers.”

Not everyone is so enthusiastic. The RCMP does not support the motion because it believes such loading would negatively impact Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) security screening staff who oversee packaging and weights for domestic flights.

The RCMP also cites potential problems with connecting international flights at land borders where cannabis is not legal.

Still, Ritz and Horton are optimistic about Copilot’s prospects. “We’re relatively new to the industry and that’s our strength,” Horton told Leafly.

He noted that Copilot has investors and advisors who have extensive experience in the industry. Their main investor is Marc Lustig, Founder and CEO of CannaRoyalty Corp.

“Owen and I want to see cannabis retail stores in airports across Canada and someday in the United States,” Reed said. “We really believe in the concept.”

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Randy Druzin

Randi Druzin is a Toronto-based writer and journalist. She has worked for several major media outlets, including the National Post and the CBC, and has written for dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Time Magazine, ESPN The Magazine, and The Globe and Mail.

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