Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jan 2016
Source: Morning Star, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 The Morning Star
Contact:  http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1352

MARIJUANA LAWS MUST BE CLARIFIED

The current situation around the legality and enforcement of 
marijuana needs to be shuffled into Ottawa's action this day file, 
alongside the economy and assisted dying.

The interim leader of the Conservatives, Rona Ambrose, demonstrated 
how confusing this issue has become. Ambrose on CKNW, said the 
Liberal governments must "take it slow" when moving on legalizing 
marijuana; but she then said that she wants the government to move 
quickly to regulate pot dispensaries.

Disepensaries maintain they are legal and will stay open but the RCMP 
seem to disagree.

Until the federal government clarifies the decriminalization or 
legality of marijuana, who can sell it and where - or says this is 
for municipalities to regulate - cities would be wise to wait to 
create a new bylaw.

We have a situation where medicinal marijuana is legal, and firms are 
following the letter of the law. But the interpretation of that law, 
which has seen marijuana storefronts open up in every city, needs to 
be clarified for everbody's sake.

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said in November that the 
government is "proceeding in a concerted way" and she will have more 
to say in coming weeks and months. Wilson-Raybould needs to say 
something and soon, other than that they are "proceeding in a 
concerted way." She has to give some direction to cities, 
dispensaries and police agencies.

The debate about the use of marijuana, medicinal and otherwise, has 
been swept to the side by this confusion over dispensaries. We need 
to refocus the debate and this can only happen once the government 
frames new legislation. Doing that must become a priority in Ottawa.

- - Black Press
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom