Pubdate: Mon, 02 May 2016
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Vancouver 24 hrs.
Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters
Website: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Eric MacKenzie
Page: 5

PROPOSED POT SHOP RULES OPPOSE ISLAND HEALTH'S VIEW

Victoria Bylaws May Be Introduced Next Month

City of Victoria staff are recommending council support a move toward 
the regulation of businesses selling marijuana, and related bylaws 
could be ready for consideration as early as next month.

And unlike in Vancouver, the recommended approach is to allow stores 
to sell edible cannabis products and to permit them to deliver or 
mail products to customers.

One year ago, Victoria council requested staff prepare recommended 
regulations and a compliance strategy. In the past two years, the 
number of known marijuana-related businesses operating in the city 
has jumped from four to 35.

An initial regulatory framework for marijuana related-businesses will 
be presented to city council's committee of the whole this Thursday. 
That report recommends a number of regulations, including required 
security measures, restrictions on operating hours, plus the 
prohibition of minor sand banning of marijuana consumption on site.

The recommendation to allow the sale of edible products, however, 
comes despite the objection of Island Health's chief medical health 
officer. Instead, the city said 74% of community members surveyed 
were opposed to a ban on edibles and"expressed their opinion that the 
benefits associated with the availability of edible products are 
significant and outweigh any health and safety concerns."

"The City has no authority to implement many of the measures that 
could effectively address the health and safety concerns associated 
with edible products," adds the report.

Similarly, the report suggests the benefits outweigh outnumber the 
concerns regarding mail and delivery service to "customers who are 
unable to attend at a storefront retailer."

Proposed regulations require a 200-metre buffer zone from schools and 
other dispensaries, compared to 300 metres in Vancouver. The report 
shows that no businesses currently operating are situated less than 
200-metres from a school, but many are in close proximity to each 
other downtown.

The developments in Victoria come just as the closure order for 
Vancouver marijuana vendors not in compliance with city requirements 
passed last week. Reports indicate multiple Vancouver dispensaries 
operating without a business licence were handed $250 fines over the 
weekend by city bylaw officers.

Victoria councillors contacted by 24 hours for comment did not 
respond by press time or declined because they had not read the report.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom