Pubdate: Tue, 03 Mar 2015
Source: Whistler Question (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015, Whistler Printing & Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.whistlerquestion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1034
Author: Nick Davies
Page: 7

IS THERE A MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN WHISTLER'S FUTURE?

Again this week the skiing and boarding was better than we have the 
right to expect given the weather.

The bowls and faces off of the Symphony Chair were frozen solid with 
a dusting of snow blown into pockets giving the chance of a few 
connected turns in untracked fresh, albeit not deep, snow. Where the 
faces had been blown clean it was relatively easy to get an edge in. 
Given the alternatives there is nothing wrong with skiing conditions 
akin to a buffed GS course in a wide-open bowl on a sunny day.

Skiing out continues to be an option that by all rights should have 
long since lapsed. Lower Dave Murray is one of the better runs on 
Whistler, quite possibly because the strategically placed caution 
signs outside of Raven's Nest discourage visitors, but not locals who 
know better.

There is precedent for the nomination of multiple parties as Citizen 
of the Year. This year, somebody should seriously consider nominating 
Whistler Blackcomb's snowmaking and grooming crews. Alternatively our 
municipal council should invite those folks to a reception and give 
every last one of them a plaque. This town owes it to them.

But life is not all high speed screamers down Lower Dave Murray 
followed by beer, nachos and the Hairfarmers at Dusty's. Certainly 
more fulfilling than going to church, but a lifestyle that tends to 
empty the wallet

As a responsible journalist I need to sniff out stories now that our 
local municipal council is not dropping them in my lap and their 
ministry of information is not answering my inquiries. While having a 
Saturday morning coffee and fruit galette at Purebread and pondering 
the implications of the new "medicinal" marijuana dispensary in 
Squamish I wondered whether Whistler might be next.

My theory is that to open a marijuana dispensary in Whistler under 
the current regulations, the co-operation of local doctors would be 
required. So what is the attitude of local doctors on this issue? 
After my coffee was finished and galette polished off, I decided to 
do a little undercover work. I would walk into each of the clinics 
unannounced, pretend I was a journalist (which wouldn't be far from 
the truth given I pretend every second week) and ask what their policy was.

The welcomes varied. At one clinic the receptionist was caught 
completely off guard, but was able to give me a full answer. At 
another clinic the receptionist was able to provide a very clear, 
well thought out response. At my last stop the receptionist could not 
tell me what their policy was, but promised to have a doctor call me. 
I must have missed the call.

Here's the bottom line for "medicinal" marijuana in Whistler. 
Palliative patients, meaning people who are dying, will get pot 
easily. People who have problems for which no other drugs are working 
will get pot. For example, a patient who has neuropathic pain that is 
not responding to opiates will get marijuana. A patient who has a 
long-standing relationship of trust with their doctor and can 
convince their doctor that they need marijuana for some legitimate 
medical reason might get marijuana.

A long-standing patient who needs to get that little extra stretch in 
their yoga class that only a quick puff before the class can bring 
isn't going to get that puff legally. A new arrival to town who is 
struggling with the depression of being dumped for the third time in 
a row and needs a whole bunch of puffs in the trees to help to relax 
in the terrain park is not going to get those puffs locally, or at 
least not legally.

The way I see it, it is unlikely we will see a medical marijuana 
dispensary in Whistler any time soon, unless there is a doctor, nurse 
practitioner, naturopath or psychologist on staff. Given how little 
that position would pay and the cost of living in this town, what 
medical professional in her or his right mind would want that job?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom