Pubdate: Fri, 24 Apr 2015
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Laura Kane
Page: 8

FEDS CONCERNED OVER MARIJUANA ZONING RULES

VANCOUVER - The federal government is telling the City of Vancouver it
does not have the authority to legitimize pot with its proposal to
regulate "illegal" medical marijuana dispensaries.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose sent a letter to Vancouver Mayor Gregor
Robertson on Thursday saying she was "deeply concerned" by the city's
plans to discuss regulation at an upcoming council meeting.

"Marijuana is not an approved drug or medicine, and Health Canada does
not endorse its use," reads the letter obtained by The Canadian Press.

"Legitimizing and normalizing the use and sale of marijuana can have
only one effect: increasing marijuana use and addiction."

City staff will present a report to council on Tuesday recommending
regulating the booming medical pot industry. The rules would include a
$30,000 licensing fee and require the shops to be at least 300 metres
from schools, community centres and other dispensaries.

In the letter, the health minister says there are serious health risks
associated with smoking marijuana. She argues "normalizing" pot could
mean more than tripling its use by youth.

Ambrose writes that although Canadian courts have required the
government to allow access to marijuana when authorized by a doctor,
the law says this must be done in a controlled way.

"These regulations are clear and do not provide municipalities with
the authority to legitimize the commercial sale of marijuana, which
remains an illegal substance," she says.

She says the government implemented the Marijuana for Medical Purposes
(MMPR) regulations with the aim of treating marijuana like other
narcotics used for medical purposes.

"Storefronts and dispensaries do not operate within a 'grey zone,' and
the law is clear: they are illegal."

City manager Penny Ballem told reporters on Wednesday that the federal
approach had created "greyness and confusion," forcing the city to
intervene.

On Thursday, Councillor Kerry Jang said Ambrose had been misinformed
about Vancouver's proposed bylaw, which he said was specifically
designed to limit exposure to youth.

"Her whole letter is contradictory," he said. "It does not deter us at
all from going forward with this."

He said medical marijuana is legal in Canada and the city has
jurisdiction over land use, which allows it to create a new licence
category for medical marijuana related businesses.

The number of dispensaries in Vancouver has multiplied from six to
over 80 in under two years.

Jang said the federal government has generally ignored the city's
requests to discuss the problems.

"In the city of Vancouver we've always taken a public health and harm
reduction approach," he said. "We know that prohibition does not work.
You can't stamp something out ... so let's reduce the harms and manage
what we have."

Advocates are divided on the new rules - even some within the same
household. "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery called regulation cynical and
unnecessary, while his wife and fellow pot activist Jodie said it's a
positive step toward legalization.

"It tells the provincial and federal government, as well as other
municipalities, that marijuana is here to stay. It's worth money.
There's demand, if there's this kind of supply," said Jodie Emery.

But the couple agreed the $30,000 fee was excessive and would likely
force smaller dispensaries to close.

"The city is just going for a money grab at the expense of medical
marijuana patients, some of whom hardly have enough money to pay for
what they're buying now," Marc Emery said.

Jang said the city would not profit at all from the fee, which is
needed to recover costs including police record checks, building
inspections and processing applications.
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MAP posted-by: Matt