Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jun 2015
Source: Penticton Herald (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.pentictonherald.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/664
Author: Laura Kane
Page: A5

VANCOUVER VOTE RUFFLES FEATHERS IN OTTAWA

Vancouver Becomes First City in Canada to Regulate Medical Marijuana 
Dispensaries

Vancouver has become the first city in Canada to regulate illegal 
marijuana dispensaries, a move that has "deeply disappointed" the 
federal government but was declared a common-sense approach by the mayor.

"We're faced with a tough situation, a complicated situation," Gregor 
Robertson said Wednesday after councillors voted 8-3 to impose new regulations.

"We have this proliferation of dispensaries that must be dealt with," he said.

The city has blamed Ottawa's restrictive medical marijuana laws for 
the rise of pot dispensaries - to 94 from fewer than 20 just three years ago.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose had sent strongly worded letters to the 
city and police warning against the plan. On Wednesday, she said she 
was disappointed with the decision to regulate an illegal industry.

"Marijuana is neither an approved drug nor medicine in Canada and 
Health Canada does not endorse its use," Ambrose said in a statement.

"Storefronts selling marijuana are illegal and under this 
Conservative government will remain illegal. We expect the police to 
enforce the law."

The new rules mean dispensaries must pay a $30,000 licensing fee, be 
located at least 300 metres away from schools, community centres and 
each other, and some shops will be banned from certain areas.

But the city also voted to create a two-tiered licensing system, 
allowing compassion clubs to pay a fee of just $1,000.

To qualify as a compassion club, a dispensary must be non-profit, 
serve members and provide other health services such as massage 
therapy or acupuncture, and be a member of the Canadian Association 
of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries.

Coun. Kerry Jang said the clubs provide other services such as 
nutritional and psychological counselling and help people to 
transition from marijuana to other medicine if possible.

"That's what we should be encouraging," he said. "Like any kind of 
drug, you want to get off it eventually. That's the approach we took."

Don Briere, owner of Vancouver's largest marijuana chain Weeds, 
praised the city for its "courage" in approving regulations, but 
called the two-tiered system "discrimination."

Briere said it's unfair that his businesses must pay $29,000 more 
when they also serve medical pot patients. He said he planned to talk 
to a lawyer and had heard other owners were doing the same.

"If there's a class-action lawsuit, I obviously have to join," he 
said. "It's already being talked about."

Jamie Shaw with Vancouver's oldest dispensary, B.C. Compassion Club 
Society, called the new regulations a "historic move."

"It's actually great that they're encouraging some dispensaries to be 
a little bit more patient focused and patient centred while still not 
actually outlawing more recreational minded ones," she said.

Coun. Geoff Meggs told council medical marijuana was not an issue 
that the city wanted to take up, but one it was forced to handle 
because of Ottawa's "backwards" policies.

"Wake up. You are completely out of touch with the realities on the 
ground," Meggs said in a message aimed at the federal government.

Council's decision came after four days of public hearings where many 
speakers complained about a proposed ban on edible products such as 
brownies and cookies.

The city held firm on a ban, arguing the treats appeal to children, 
it is difficult to control their contents and patients can buy 
marijuana oil to make their own edibles.

Dispensaries now have 60 days to apply for a licence.

If several stores are located in a cluster, they must face a review 
that would tally demerit points based on factors including the number 
of complaints and police incidents. Stores that are not compassion 
clubs automatically receive 10 demerit points.

Many dispensaries will be forced to move, including those in the 
Downtown Eastside and Granville Street entertainment district.

Krystian Wetulani of Vancity Weed said his Granville Street store 
serves many low income patients who can't afford to travel far for 
their medicine.

"You have a rapport with patients and they get comfortable with you, 
and now that's going to be taken away," he said.

Vancouver Police Const. Brian Montague said the new regulations will 
not change the force's approach to pot shops, which are only a 
priority if there are public safety concerns.

The City of Victoria is also considering bylaws for dispensaries.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom