Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jun 2015 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Mike Hager Page: S1 DOZENS ATTEND MEETING TO OPINE ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES More than 160 speakers, mostly marijuana advocates, crowded into Vancouver's City Hall on Wednesday night to weigh the city's plan to become the first in Canada to attempt to regulate medical pot dispensaries, which have exploded into a booming, but legally questionable, industry. Brina Levitt, owner Green Penguin Delights, a company that makes edible marijuana, came to ask that dispensaries be allowed to continue to sell more than just dried marijuana. City staff are recommending that "edibles" be outlawed under the new rules because they are unregulated and marijuana cookies and candies appeal to children. "I'm here to argue that the edible ban is not feasible nor is it safe for the patients, or the youth, it purports to protect," her speech stated. "By banning edibles, you are promoting the resurgence of street-level distribution of unregulated, unrestricted, untested and unsafe food products." Ms. Levitt said she first started using marijuana last year after no other medications managed to help her with back pain from a bicycle accident. She was unimpressed with the edible products available in Vancouver's dispensaries and began her company to supply clearly labelled, safe and reliable products. She said she supports the dispensaries because "they're selling to patients, access is restricted, it's off the streets and they're not selling to minors." Under the current law, all of the dispensaries are illegal - whether they are selling dried marijuana or any other form - but that hasn't prevented the city from looking for ways to exert control. The city is considering creating a special business licence category for "marijuana-related" businesses, including dispensaries, and rules that include a $30,000 yearly licensing fee as well as mandating that these shops be located at least 300 metres away from schools, community centres and neighbourhood houses. Vancouver has at least 98 dispensaries, according to statistics released by the city - by far the most of any city in the country. In contrast, previous stats have suggested at least 35 other dispensaries are located elsewhere in B.C. and at least 21 are spread throughout the rest of the country. The city's new rules will be studied keenly by other cities wary of a federal government strongly opposed to the dispensaries and even medical marijuana. Dana Larsen, a long-time marijuana legalization advocate and owner of two dispensaries, helped organize a two-hour training session for people who wanted to speak in favour of the regulations to practise their speeches and learn "effective public narrative techniques." Mr. Larsen's group, Sensible BC, which failed in 2013 to force a referendum on legalization, organized dozens of speakers to attend Wednesday. The group's key concern is over "excessive" buffer zones mandating distances between dispensaries as well as keeping them away them from schools and community centres. He said he expects the imposed distances could eliminate two-thirds of Vancouver's 98 dispensaries. Pamela McColl, spokesperson for Smart Approaches to Marijuana Canada, said her organization, one of the most vocal groups opposed to the dispensaries, would boycott the hearings except for one 18-year-old representative sent to raise concerns about the negative effect the dispensaries have on children. "We think that this city doesn't understand the crisis in this country is its youth," Ms. McColl said Wednesday. "To expose the public to a product that's not tested is just irresponsible." Her group is concerned that dispensaries will get an air of legitimacy through city regulations and that they only increase young people's access to the drug. She said Canadian youth represent the largest segment of the population smoking marijuana in the country and have some of the highest statistics of cannabis use in the Western world. In 37 e-mails submitted to the city before the hearing, Ms. McColl outlined how her group is trying to block the city's plan through various channels. Those include a complaint filed to the province's municipal police watchdog alleging the Vancouver department is failing to enforce the law and plans to file a legal challenge alleging the city broke its own bylaws in issuing a handful of dispensaries different permits. The federal Conservative government has vocally opposed Vancouver's plan to license dispensaries, with Health Minister Rona Ambrose and Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney writing councillors in April urging them not to proceed. The government has refused to say whether it will intervene to prevent the city from moving forward. Public pressure on the city to regulate the dispensaries in some way has mounted over the past several years, as the number of pot shops has risen exponentially from just 14 in 2002. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and councillors have avoided commenting on the proceedings while they're in process. More than 160 speakers signed up for the hearings, which are slated to begin again Thursday at 6 p.m. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom