Pubdate: Sat, 20 Apr 2013 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2013 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Mike Hager Page: 6 PROPOSED FEDERAL OVERHAUL PUTS DISPENSARIES AT RISK New system could phase out small-scale growing operations in favour of large, commercial producers in 2014 B.C.'s dispensaries and compassion clubs may come in different shapes and sizes, but they could all face extinction under the federal government's proposed overhaul of the medicinal marijuana system announced last December. The new system, which the government is now reviewing before its proposed implementation date of March 31, 2014, could phase out small-scale growing operations for personal use in favour of larger, commercial producers. Under the proposed system, the sale and distribution of medical marijuana will be restricted to licensed producers - subject to inspections - who will mail their product directly to medical marijuana patients. "The primary means of distribution of dried marihuana would be directly from the licensed producer to the registered client using secure shipping methods; as the proposed Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations do not allow for storefront or retail distribution centres," a draft of the Health Canada proposal reads. Jeffrey van Dyke, who runs a medicinal marijuana dispensary near Fraser Street and Kingsway in Vancouver, says the government is trying to cut out the middlemen it has always distrusted. But he doubts it will succeed. "The producers don't really want to deal with 30,000 people that have a legal right to consume cannabis," he says. "They will want to bulk ship it to a dispensary, just like pharmaceutical companies bulk ship pharmaceuticals to pharmacies. "The dispensaries are trying to bring a form of consistency and open access." He envisions dispensaries getting certified by the federal government to dispense marijuana to patients over 19. While van Dyke plans for a future in which the government ultimately collaborates with dispensaries, entrepreneur Daniel Petrov says he is positioning his dispensary to prosper regardless of what the new system looks like. The 32-year-old from Edmonton co-owns the Med Pot Now dispensary and has enough licences to produce medical marijuana for about 8,000 people with his company, Vancouver Independent Producers (VIP). VIP grows the marijuana in a stand-alone commercial building somewhere in the Fraser Valley and each month supplies its five strains to up to 10 dispensaries in Vancouver, Petrov said. He is confident he will be able to secure production licences under the new system once he upgrades the building's security. Petrov said the proposed overhaul, prepared by government when "they were stuck in a pinch," could force him to shutter his dispensary and move his staff to a customer service hotline for patients of VIP. "I think people are happy and comfortable with the way things work in the dispensary system," Petrov said. "We can try to supply the same services that we do now, just split the roles to make them fit better in the system." Health Canada's 75-day period for citizens to comment on the proposed changes ended Feb. 28, 2013, and the federal body says it will "keep all stakeholders informed" as the proposal continues to move through the regulatory process. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom