Pubdate: Wed, 04 Nov 2015
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Alec Salloum
Page: A7

POT ADVOCATES KEEP EYE ON SASKATOON BUST

REGINA - Side-effects from Saskatoon's Compassion Club drug bust and
arrests may include paranoia for Regina medical marijuana users.

The non-profit Saskatoon-based dispensary was not licensed by Health
Canada, which led to the arrest of its owner, seizure of the stock,
and charges of possession and trafficking for the owner and staff.

"Face it, you're putting people's health at risk here (who) really
depend on this cannabis as a medicine. This whole thing's gone way
beyond just smoking weed," said Darin Wheatley.

Wheatley, owner of B&B Hydroponics in Regina, is an advocate for
legalization and the use of medical marijuana.

Sgt. Todd Wall of the Regina Police Service declined to discuss RPS
policy or approaches to the idea of dispensaries in Regina.

"It's two sides of the coin," said Wall, head of the Regina Integrated
Drug Unit's street enforcement team.

"That person (in Saskatoon) was dispensing marijuana but didn't have a
licence to do so ... at this point, as of today, in this country, it's
still an illegal transaction."

Louise Folk, manager of strategy and operations for the City of
Regina, said for a dispensary or licensed producer to function in
Regina it would require a licence from Health Canada, which is the
regulatory body for all medicinal products, and from the federal government.

"The land use for medical marijuana can only be granted if a licence
has been issued from Health Canada," Folk said.

Folk was not aware of any dispensaries presently operating in Regina,
though there are two Health Canada-certified licensed producers -
Prairie Plant Systems Inc., and Canni-Med Ltd.

Right now, 26 licensed producers across Canada can cultivate, sell
and/or produce medicinal marijuana in accordance with Health Canada
regulations.

However, under the now repealed Marihuana Medical Access Regulations
(MMAR), thousands of people who were able to access medical marijuana
are now in jeopardy of losing that access.

MMAR allowed for one of three options: a person could apply to Health
Canada's supply of medical marijuana, apply for a personal
use-production licence to grow it for themselves, or have a designated
grower licensed to provide them with marijuana.

Those laws are currently under an injunction and are in limbo, but as
it stands, former MMAR users and providers can operate legally.

"To me, of course it should be safe. There should be safe growing
practices, and there should be quality control ... but people have
been growing it themselves for years," Wheatley said.

"The police don't create the laws, we just enforce them ... whether we
agree with those laws or not, that's the game we're involved with
here," said Wall, adding there's always discretion.

Despite the arrests in Saskatoon, an employee of one Regina-based
medical marijuana provider, which requires a physician's prescription
and operates under MMAR, said he was hopeful for the future of
legalized marijuana.
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