Canadian Cannabis Hero, Don Briere, Finally Thriving

Canadian man and godfather of BC cannabis, Don Briere, has opened 8 new cannabis retail stores in British Columbia.

Why should we care? Don Briere makes Marc Emery look like an amateur. The late 1990s saw Briere producing and selling more than two tons of cannabis each year. Briere cleared five million dollars a year, easily. At one point, Briere was the owner of more than 30 illegal grow houses, clandestinely scattered across B.C.

It all blew up just prior to the turn of the century when Briere’s operation was discovered thanks to an informant. Sentenced to four years in prison, he was released on parole in 2004 only to be re-arrested shortly thereafter for opening an illegal weed shop in Vancouver. That netted him two and half more years in jail.

The 63 year old Briere is now back doing what he does best: selling cannabis. In addition to the eight stores he already manages, he has plans to open six more in the near future with a larger vision on spreading across Canada. He wants to be like a chain of doughnut shops, always nearby.

It must be strange to now be thriving for doing exactly what used to get you sent to prison. I suspect a large number of Americans would instantly become non-criminals if the feds ever decide to join the rest of us here in the modern era.

Give it up for Don. If you’ve ever smoked some good BC dank, there’s a good chance you’ve smoked some of his weed. More importantly, he’s staying faithful to what he knows is right, even in the face of prosecution.