Pubdate: Tue, 22 Sep 2015 Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC) Copyright: 2015 Vancouver 24 hrs. Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters Website: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837 Author: Patrick Colvin Page: 3 HEALTH CANADA 'UNHELPFUL' ON POT: JANG Enforcing federal rules would have depleted city coffers, says Vancouver councillor Fewer than 20% of Vancouver's marijuana dispensaries can expect to receive a licence when the city's application process comes to a close, according to Coun. Kerry Jang. "I expect maybe 15, up to 20 maybe, will actually make it through as a marijuana dispensary," said Jang. "Which is a far cry from about the 120 that we have now." The comment came from a forum on marijuana legalization and legislation at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities 2015 Convention on Monday. Speaking about Vancouver's approach to regulating dispensaries, Jang went on to explain that after federal marijuana regulations changed in 2013, dispensaries started opening up quite rapidly, but Health Canada refused to spend any money enforcing their new rules. Instead of depleting city coffers on the type of enforcement Health Canada wanted, he said Vancouver decided to take an approach that would save time and money. "When it came to marijuana shops that are actually dealing with kids, when it came to any marijuana shop that has any connection that we could prove to Hells Angels or organized crime, (Vancouver Police) take them out," said Jang. "So our police are doing their job, it's not just a matter of going in and wiping everybody out because that is worse, and it would cost the city a lot of money. "And, quite frankly, Health Canada has been absolutely unhelpful. I remember at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities conference a few years ago we had the first forum on marijuana and Health Canada was sitting up here and they said 'here's the new rules, we want you to enforce them,' and I remember the room was in an uproar." Jang recounted that a number of city councillors and mayors responded to Health Canada by saying, "we are not spending one red cent of our money to fix your problem." - --- MAP posted-by: Matt