Pubdate: Thu, 30 Apr 2015
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Nick Eagland
Page: 4

POT DISPENSARY OWNER BACKS POLICE RAID

Public Promise: Marijuana outlet will come down hard on anyone allegedly 
involved in selling to minor

The owner of a Vancouver pot dispensary raided by police Wednesday
said he will deal "very harshly" with whoever was involved in
allegedly providing edibles to a minor.

Vancouver police said they began investigating a Weeds Glass and Gifts
location in the 2900-block West 4th Avenue in March after reports that
a 15-year-old was hospitalized after allegedly purchasing edible
marijuana products from the store, in addition to reports of "other
events involving young people."

Officers gathered evidence and obtained a search warrant, then entered
the store Wednesday and arrested staff and searched the premises.

Customers and staff were identified and released pending further
investigation, police said.

Don Briere, owner of Weeds Glass and Gifts, which has a dozen
dispensaries in Vancouver, told The Province he is still trying to
verify what led to the raid, but said the lone man who was arrested
was immediately released. Briere questioned whether it was one of his
employees or a client who provided the edible to the minor, if the
report is true.

"That's stupidity if anybody did that," he said.

"If it did indeed happen, not only should the person be charged but
they'll be fired immediately.

"If it's a client that did that, then they'll be banned from coming
into any of our stores, period."

Briere said he supports the police, who "are just doing their job,"
adding he wishes he had learned about the alleged incident earlier.

"I will be dealing with it very harshly if it is indeed the manager or
whoever did this," he said.

Police said they have taken enforcement action against several of the
estimated 80 medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the city, and
have obtained nine search warrants in the past 18 months.

While their priority remains focusing on violent drug traffickers and
those who prey on youth and the marginalized, police said they will
continue to respond to concerns about the illegal shops.

Vancouver city council voted Tuesday to refer a proposed regulatory
framework for the dispensaries to a public hearing.

On the same day, federal Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney and
Health Minister Rona Ambrose sent a letter to police and council
warning that storefront sales remain illegal.

"Like the vast majority of Canadians, the Government expects that
police will enforce the laws of Canada as written," the letter said.

Last week, Ambrose wrote a letter to Mayor Gregor Robertson condemning
council's decision to discuss regulating the dispensaries.
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