Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jul 2012
Source: Tri-City News (Port Coquitlam, CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Tri-City News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/3X3xlf9Y
Website: http://www.tricitynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239
Author: Janis Warren

COQ. TO RESTRICT POT GROWING, SELLING

Licensed Grow Ops Allowed in Industrial Areas

A growing number of complaints about medical marijuana operations in 
Coquitlam homes has prompted the city to look at changing its land 
use policies.

This week, council gave first reading to a zoning bylaw amendment 
that would stop medical pot from being produced in residential areas 
except for personal use.

As a result, third-party production - as regulated and permitted 
under the federal Marijuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) - would 
be restricted to industrial sites; the city has designated five 
areas, all of them close to Highway 1.

As well, city staff are recommending council ban medical marijuana 
dispensaries not licensed by the federal government. The latter move 
comes in response to a compassion club that opened up shop last month 
in Maillardville.

Christopher MacLeod, spokesperson for the Coquitlam Natural Path 
Society, who was at Monday's city council meeting with supporters, 
told The Tri-City News afterwards he agrees medical marijuana 
shouldn't be grown in residential areas (he said he buys his weed 
from a licensed commercial grower).

But he fears the zoning change will close his club, which currently 
doesn't have a business licence. Since his club opened on Brunette 
Avenue, MacLeod said he has about 100 customers from the Tri-Cities, 
Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey and Maple Ridge who have ailments 
that include cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, Hepatitis C 
and arthritis.

MacLeod uses the drug himself to treat juvenile arthritis in his hips and legs.

"It's a non-toxic product that makes me live a normal life," he said.

Mayor Richard Stewart, who suffers from chronic back spasms and said 
he has had doctors recommend he take medical marijuana (he has 
refused), said while many councillors understand pot can ease 
someone's debilitating pain, the distribution of it won't be 
tolerated in Coquitlam.

A big part of the problem is that the federal regulations are 
unclear, he said. As of May, 19,482 Canadians had permits to possess 
medical marijuana under the MMAR while 12,649 people had licences to 
grow it, with 2,550 allowed to grow for a third party.

Coun. Craig Hodge, who said he has been inundated with complaints 
about a certain medical marijuana operation on Burke Mountain, said 
grow ops - legal or not - are a health and safety risk for emergency 
personnel and surrounding neighbours.

Last month, at around 4:30 a.m., two people were arrested for 
allegedly breaking into a Town Centre-area house and stealing the 
medical pot plants, Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jamie Chung said Tuesday; the 
home's occupants suffered non-life threatening injuries. It was the 
only medical marijuana rip in the last three months, he said.

* The city will hold a public hearing on July 30 on the zoning bylaw 
changes for medical marijuana operations and dispensaries.
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