Abi Roach

Last updated
Abi Roach
Born1983or1984(age 40–41) [1]
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Cannabis entrepreneur and advocate
Years active2003-present
Employer Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation
OrganizationCannabis Friendly Business Association

Abi Roach (born 1983or1984) [1] is a Canadian cannabis entrepreneur and advocate for the reform of cannabis in Ontario and Canada.

Contents

Early life

Roach was born in Haifa, Israel 1983or1984. [1]

Career

Roach is a Canadian cannabis entrepreneur. She has owned the Cannabis retail outlet Roach-o-Rama, and since 2012, a cannabis-tourism business in Saint Ann, Jamaica. [2] [3] She was the publisher of the (now defunct) Spliff free cannabis news magazine. [2] [4]

Roach was the owner-operator of the Kensington Market, Toronto-based [5] cannabis lounge Hotbox Cafe from 2003 [1] until she sold the business to Friendly Stranger Holdings Corp in 2020. [4] The business was North America's longest running Cannabis-consumption business space and opened the day after ownership of cannabis was decriminalised in Ontario. [1]

Roach is an advocate for cannabis law reform, and in 2016 was an organiser for the Cannabis Friendly Business Association. [6] In November 2017, she spoke before a Government of Ontario committee, advocating for a relaxation of laws that govern where cannabis can be consumed. [7] Roach was critical of the Government of Ontario's distribution of Cannabis licences via a lottery system, before taking a job at the government's Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation. [4]

Personal life

In 2019, Roach lives in Kensington Market, Toronto. [3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Veintrop, Julia; Markwart, Andres (13 January 2020). "A wise approach - a conversation with Abi Roach". Cannabis Life Network. Retrieved 16 March 2023. Hotbox CEO Abi Roach first opened her Toronto consumption lounge all the way back in 2003! ... I was a 19 year old.
  2. 1 2 Ross, E. R. (2017). Canadabis: The Canadian Weed Reader. United States: Adams Media. p. 17
  3. 1 2 Deschamps, Tara (7 April 2019). "Cannabis smokers get more bong for their buck at bud-and-breakfasts with a different vibe". The Toronto Star . Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Marijuana activist and vocal critic of government's legalization rollout takes job with OCS". CityNews . 24 Jan 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Smee, Mike (28 November 2016). "City targets landlords in fight against Toronto's pot retailers". CBC.
  6. ↑ Fife, Robert; Chase, Steven (29 November 2016). "Trudeau's lead on legalizing marijuana lobbied during cash-for-access fundraiser". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Ontario considers allowing cannabis lounges as legalization deadline looms". CBC. 21 January 2018.
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