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. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom