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."
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MAP posted-by: Matt