Pubdate: Wed, 02 Dec 2015
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Black Press, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nanaimodailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Aaron Hinks

POLICE ACT ON POT SHOP THREAT

Three Marijuana Dispensaries Raided, Occupants Removed in Handcuffs

The RCMP raided three Nanaimo marijuana storefronts and arrested 
several dispensary employees Tuesday morning.

Trees, on Bowen Road, Phoenix Pain Management, on Wallace Street, and 
Nature's Source Society, on Front Street, were the three shops targeted.

Police said they took action against the dispensaries after receiving 
'several' complaints from the public. In one case, the police allege, 
a 15-year-old girl had purchased marijuana from a storefront.

"When I have reports of storefronts selling marijuana to youth and 
concerned community members approaching me about it, we are compelled 
to take enforcement action," said Nanaimo RCMP Supt. Mark Fisher in a 
press release.

"Our approach has always been to address public concerns, consult our 
contracting partners, stakeholders and allow for our investigations 
to determine the way forward. That was done in this case."

Police did not make clear what, if any, charges would be forthcoming 
in connection with Tuesday's action.

"As these investigations will now be before the courts and other 
investigations are still underway, Nanaimo RCMP will not be 
commenting further on this issue."

On Nov. 12 the RCMP issued letters to dispensaries giving the 
storefronts seven calendar days to shut down or they would be raided.

Police say two dispensaries voluntarily stopped operating after the letter.

The RCMP media release said this was a fair approach, which provided 
enough time for compliance.

Nature's Source Society manager Rich Schmok was slated to work 
Tuesday at 4 p.m. He wasn't inside the building at the time of the 
raid and wasn't arrested.

"I came and saw some cop cars sitting out front. I rushed down only 
to find that the doors were barricaded off and my friends, staff 
members and patients are being hauled away," Schmok said. "I haven't 
seen many patients, mostly staff. My boss and a couple of the cooks, 
not sure why they were hauled away."

Schmok then clarified he wasn't 100 per cent confident he saw 
patients being arrested.

Schmok said the dispensary knew the RCMP threat was looming.

"I didn't think it was going to come to fruition, but here we are," 
Schmok said.

Nanaimo RCMP said the search warrants were judicially authorized and 
police have worked closely with Public Prosecution Service Canada.

The RCMP release says enforcement is guided by existing laws and legislation.

The release also says there is no legal mechanism in Canada that 
allows medicinal marijuana dispensaries or compassion clubs to sell 
to the public.

Some Nature's Source Society staff members, including Schmok, were 
standing in front of the shop filming their friends and coworkers 
being arrested.

"Just in this club there's a couple thousand patients and 30 workers, 
why do that?" Schmok said.

Mike, who didn't provide his last name, said he's also a manager of 
Nature's Source and has been with the company since it started.

"It's kind of surprising considering we have a (federal) government 
that's in the process of legalization and they do this. I don't know 
what they expect to come of this," Mike said.

Trees issued a statement indicating they will be 'back to full 
operational status as soon as possible.'

Schmok said he doesn't know what's in store for the future and that 
the dispensary community needs help.

"This is not right, this is taking away patients' medicine and work 
for people in this town."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom