Pubdate: Tue, 17 Nov 2015 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Contact: 2015 Black Press, Inc. Website: http://www.nanaimodailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 WE NEED THIS MARIJUANA LEGAL LIMBO CLEARED UP VERY SOON It's an issue that requires a very quick resolution. As we reported last week, the Nanaimo RCMP has started issuing warnings to marijuana dispensaries to close their doors or face closure and possible prosecution. Police issued letters to several cannabis businesses in Nanaimo to shut down within seven days or risk arrest, seizures and possible prosecution for cannabis trafficking. The decision has drawn criticism and the question of "why now?" Health Canada issued warnings in late summer that dispensaries would be closed, and in September a handful of cease-and-desist orders were issued across Canada. From a law enforcement perspective, the situation is easily explained. Though to some it may appear heavy-handed, police say they are just doing their job. From Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O'Brien: "Nothing has changed, what we're simply doing is addressing the issue that they are contravening federal law in Canada, by trafficking in marijuana." Fair enough. The job of the police is to enforce the laws of the land. We simply cannot have a situation whereby people or businesses openly carry on with potentially illegal activities. And, under the previous Conservative government, the feeling about marijuana was fairly clear and police already had their marching orders. But everything changed on Oct. 19, when Justin Trudeau's Liberals came into power. As new Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould told the CBC: "We are proceeding in a concerted way in respect to marijuana in terms of legalization and regulation and working with other jurisdictions to approach this in a thoughtful way, so we will be moving forward with that and I'll have more to say in the coming weeks and months." It appears more had better be said on the issue in short order, before thousands of taxpayer dollars are spent on what may prove unnecessary enforcement, with pot seemingly in legal limbo. Does closing the dispensaries actually create more crime? If it's going to be legal, is a late-in-the-game, sweeping crackdown an effective use of resources? We have to walk a fine line on this. Should there be sympathy for a business that pours capital into a project before they get a full green light, whether from a municipality or the federal government? The RCMP are faced with finding a way to maintain their mandate - to uphold the law - and navigate around the politics of an issue that requires immediate action. The Trudeau government is faced with the reality of bringing marijuana into the 21st century, finding a way to allow people to use a drug that many, many Canadians have been using in abundance for some time despite its current legal status. Dispensaries needed to anticipate this very real possibility of actions by the RCMP given the current circumstances. Until new federal regulations are in place and provincial statutes and municipal bylaws can dovetail into the federal policy, it's best that dispensaries wait for the required clarity. It can't come too soon. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom